This message is being posted for Diony Young, the Editor of BIRTH, at her
request. If you wish to respond to her privately, please do so at
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Many thanks, from co-mother....
Diony Young, Editor
BIRTH, Blackwell Science, Inc.
43 Oak St., Geneseo, NY 14454 USA
Phone or Fax: 716-243-0087
To whom it may concern at LACTNET:
I wish to request that the following message be posted on the LACNET for
list members. I am Diony Young, Editor, BIRTH journal.
Thank you very much.
Diony Young, Editor, BIRTH
To interested persons on LACTNET list:
I am responding to comments by Maurenne Griese that someone forwarded to
me. The comments relate to a study by Bliss et al that was published in
the June 1997 issue of BIRTH. It examined the effects on breastfeeding of
hospital discharge gift packs that include formula. The article noted that
indirect funding for the study was provided by a formula manufacturer.
In the interests of completeness, I would like to provide some additional
information. The article by Bliss et al was followed by a Commentary by
pediatrician Cynthia Howard and obstetrician Fred Howard, which points out
some problems in the study design and validity, and strongly argues against
the distribution of formula packs, samples, and advertising to mothers by
hospitals and physicians.
The dialog about this study and commentary was continued in a Letter to the
Editor by Bliss in the September 1997 issue of BIRTH in answer to the
criticism by Howard and Howard. In this letter, Bliss acknowledges that "In
light of the fact that at least a few studies have shown harmful effects
and no study has shown beneficial effects, continuation of the practice
(i.e., distributing formula-containing hospital discharge packs) cannot be
defended."
May I also mention to LACTNET readers, in case they do not know,
that BIRTH journal has never carried any advertisements by any formula
manufacturing company since it was first published in 1973; nor have the
BIRTH conferences had exhibitors that manufactured infant formula.
Sincerely,
Diony Young, Editor, BIRTH
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"We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly
disguised as impossible situations."
Kathleen G. Auerbach,PhD, IBCLC (Ferndale, WA USA) [log in to unmask]
WEB PAGE: http://www.telcomplus.net/kga/lactation.htm
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