In response to several personal e-mail requests for the letter I
routinely mail out to magazines who advertise for ABM companies, I
have enclosed a copy.  As professionals, we must all educate about
the dangers of ABMs and their marketing.  We should all be doing
our part, and eventually we'll get the message across!


~~~~~~ATTACHMENT~~~~~~~

I am writing you to express my concern over your continued
advertising of artificial baby
milks (ABMs), known popularly as infant formulas.  The World Health
Organization
(WHO) has issued the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk
Substitutes and the
Innocenti Declaration to establish guidelines on how ABM companies
should market their
product.  Although it does not carry the force of law, President
Clinton officially signed
the Code, thereby making it formal U.S. policy.  This means the
Federal Government
agrees with the provisions of the Code.  The Code was initiated
because it is viewed that
the very powerful marketing agents of ABMs are undermining
breastfeeding worldwide.
This has lead to significant detrimental affects on infants and
children worldwide.  ABMs
impose well-defined risks to infants and children, but the ABM
companies NEVER
mention these risks and often portray their products as "miracle"
foods, or "most similar to
breastmilk."  There is NO equivalent to human milk for human
babies.  Breastmilk is the
birth right of every child, and as a publication dedicated to
infant and child health issues,
you should seriously reconsider your advertising policy.
        By continuing to advertise these companies, you are very much
contributing to the
endangerment of our children.  These false messages to uninformed
parents must cease,
and you are in a position to do this.  ABM companies deliberately
give very biased and
untrue statements about their products.  The Code requires that
these companies include
the risks factors of artificial feedings so that parents can make
truly informed decisions.
While you find it difficult to refuse advertising dollars from
these companies, please
consider the ethical issues involved.  You can actually use this to
your advantage by
proudly boasting that your magazine does not contain these ads, and
that you are in
compliance with the Code.
        If you are unfamiliar with the Code, please contact me for a
copy.  I am certain
you understand the sincerity with which I write this letter.
Please feel free to contact me if
you or your staff have any questions or concerns.
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~
Jeffrey S. Fouche, RN, BSN
Assistant Director of Maternal/Child Services and Breastfeeding Educator
COLUMBIA Barrow Medical Center
http://members.gnn.com/jsfouche/breastfeeding.html   E_Mail: [log in to unmask]
Dad to Tanner 06-28-95    "Affordable healthcare begins with breastfeeding."