As some of you are aware, the International Board of Lactation
Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) has just issued a new policy regarding the
approval of CERPS for educational sessions funded or sponsored by
Medela. You can see this at
http://www.iblce.org/documentsNEW/Medela_publicStatement_03.30.pdf.
Essentially IBLCE has exempted Medela from its list of Code-violating
companies and is allowing sponsorship of programs by Medela. This
violates IBLCE's own policy regarding sponsorship of educational
offerings and conflicts with IBLCE's Code of Ethics and ILCA's
Standards of Practice. IBLCE cannot pick and choose which Code
violators they will allow to fund programs. The Code applies to all
companies manufacturing or distributing products within the scope of
the Code.

IBLCE has at its disposal several international expert organizations to
review and interpret the Code. It is an inherent conflict-of-interest
for IBLCE (which requires payment for approving CERPs) to allow CERPS
for programs funded by this company. IBLCE must be consistent and
uphold the Code, not massage the Code to suit itself. It does not
matter what a company's stated intention is. What matters is how the
products under the scope of the Code are marketed. There is no doubt
about a Code violation when a feeding bottle and artificial nipple are
shown in an ad in American Baby magazine. The issue is not whether the
products are needed, or how they are used, or what the company states
in support of breastfeeding. The issue is how the products are
marketed. Parts of the IBLCE statement reads almost identical to what
the Medela salespeople have been saying to LCs around the country.

This move by IBLCE puts the IBCLC credential in danger of imploding.
How can I re-certify when the agency that grants my professional
certification no longer upholds the fundamental tenets on which the
credential is based. I have written of my concerns to the president of
the IBLCE board of directors and hope others will do so as well.

Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC
Weston, MA

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