Rose, what an interesting question - are you ethically bound not to help a
manufacturer produce a good breastfeeding pamphlet, when you know that
without your help thousands of women are going to receive poor information?

One's first instinct is to steer clear, because we all feel strongly that
manufacturers should not be in the business of promoting breastfeeding.
However they are going to produce this pamphlet with or without your help,
and the second instinct is to make sure that the breastfeeding information
sent out is top quality, without the subtle messages we've come to expect
from AIM materials.   The company has the money to distribute this booklet
widely, so it's best that they DO get good input.   What a dilemma!

A bigger issue than MJ merely supplying the pamphlet under their name is the
fact that they seem to want mothers steered towards later weaning on to AIM.
Am I understanding your post correctly?

In my experience, LCs or health professionals who put their name to such
material are looked on askance.  Is there a chance that you could be
anonymous?  Or perhaps some of you could form a suitably titled BF coalition
solely for the purpose of this pamphlet, so that it can be credited:
"Breastfeeding information supplied by XYZ Coalition of Your Town"?

I don't know what I would do in a case like this - probably take the
contract and wring my hands forever afterwards.

Maybe you would get answers from IBFAN?  [log in to unmask]
Their legal expert is Yeong Joo Kean, and he's been very helpful to me in
the past.

Jacquie Nutt IBCLC
Wellington, South Africa

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