I think you can go to their do if you want.  I would agree with Pat's
suggestion you wear something that identifies you as a "breastfeeding
advocate".  I would also send a formal complaint to the administration if
there is any advertising or marketing of their formula, because this would
be a violation of the WHO Code.  I would not touch their food either.

I was recently in a similar dilemma.  I was asked to speak at a hospital
where I work in one of my clinics and I agreed.  Here was a chance to talk
with people I have been criticizing for several years, through letters etc.
Two weeks before the talk, I am told that the do will be sponsored by Abbott
(not quite Ross, but really the same thing).  I said, "Fine, I won't be
there".  We came to a compromise.

1. There would be no marketing or displays.
2. The do would be officially paid for by the maternal-child programme.
Where the programme got reimbursed was none of my business.

I didn't take any food or drink, though I did not make a point of it.
However, when one of the organizers asked if I had eaten, I said "no".  And
when she asked why, I told her that the food came from Ross, and I could not
do it.  She got the point.  In fact, she was quite surprised.

What is it about food that is so persuasive?  It is well known that you
cannot get physicians to a conference unless you provide food.  So the
formula companies provide food and the physicians come out in droves to an
incredibly boring talk on formula.  Yet, they eat maybe $15, $20 of food and
drink (often mediocre food at best).  If you said, come to this conference
and we will pay you $20, they would probably laugh at you.  "I won't waste
my time on that for $20!".

They don't get it, do they?  Well, if we don't make any issue about it, they
never will.  Though many administrators are so dense about this question of
money, they may never get it anyway.  They *would* take money from the
cigarette companies, I bet, if people didn't get hot under the collar about
it.

I'm not saying the hospital shouldn't take money from formula companies, by
the way.  The formula companies should have just as much right to *donate*
money to a hospital as a bank or a service club.  But *no special benefits
for having doing that* except heart felt appreciation.  And appreciation
does not include access to patients, distribution of samples and literature
and all the rest the formula companies seem to expect for their money, but
the local service club, or other businesses that donates do not even expect.
Even the administrators would balk at a toy company, say, coming to them and
saying "We would like to donate a bunch of money, but in exchange, we would
like your staff to demonstrate how to use this toy, and give new parents
coupons for deductions on these products.  In fact, you *have* to do that,
or the money will not be forthcoming.  In fact, if you accept the money and
don't do it, we will sue you".  Which is what the formula companies do do!

Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC