Letter from Dr. Gartner

Email: Sent Wednesday 11/19/2003 4:42 PM
From: Lawrence M. Gartner, MD             Subject: Breastfeeding Awareness
Campaign

Dear Colleagues:
    We recently learned of the existence of a letter sent over the signature
of Dr. Carden Johnston, the President of the American Academy of Pediatrics,
to Secretary Tommy G. Thompson of Health and Human Services, both applauding
the Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign and also objecting to the use of "risks
incurred by not breastfeeding" in the PSA's. I spoke with Dr. Joe Sanders,
Executive Director of the AAP to find out if such a letter had been sent and the
circumstances of its development. He confirmed that the letter had been mailed on
November 6, 2003. A copy of the letter is attached.
    Dr. Sanders indicated that this letter was written by the Executive
Committee, which consists of Dr. Carden Johnston, Dr. Carol Berkowitz and Dr. Joe
Sanders. We have not been able to confirm whether Dr. Berkowitz knew of the
existence of the letter. Other sources have indicated that the AAP Board of
Directors did NOT know about this letter, although the issue was discussed at the
Board meeting in New Orleans in the context of their deliberations over the US
Breastfeeding Committee's Strategic Plan. The advertising campaign is one of
the items on the USBC agenda. It was Dr. Sanders himself who introduced and led
the discussion of the USBC Strategic Plan at the AAP Board meeting, unusual
for him to do so on such an issue.
    During my lengthy conversation with Dr. Sanders, he admitted, after I
asked, that formula company representatives had approached him at the New Orleans
meeting to express their great objection to the Breastfeeding Awareness
Campaign and particularly to the "negative approach." It is my understanding that
the formula companies have been lobbying many leaders in AAP and also in other
organizations, including AAFP. It is alleged that they also have contacted
congressman and other legislators. There is ever reason to believe that they are
pulling out all the stops to get this ad campaign buried, or at least,
modified to be less effective.
    In response to my question about whether Dr. Sanders and Johnston
considered contacting someone within the Section on Breastfeeding to discuss their
concerns, Dr. Sanders said, "No, they did not." I expressed very serious concern
that they had excluded us from the loop and had gone off to take an action
relating directly to breastfeeding and to the section without having any
discussion with us. It is clear that Dr. Sanders and Johnston simply did not want to
talk to us about this matter.
    I told Dr. Sanders that the Section on Breastfeeding intended to write
directly to Mr. Thompson to express a view contrary to that of Dr. Johnston's
letter. He did not respond.
    This entire affair is a very serious matter which raises many questions
about the leadership of the AAP and the influence of the formula industry on
AAP activities.
    The letter to Secretary Thompson from the Section on Breastfeeding is
attached. It was sent today by Fed Ex. It may have some effect, but what is
needed is for everyone to write letters to Secretary Thompson indicating support
for the Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign in its current form. Please get as many
people to write as possible. Time is of the essence.  Signed,  Larry
(Lawrence M. Gartner, MD, Professor Emeritus, Departments of Pediatrics and
Obstetrics/Gynecology, The University of Chicago)

             ***********************************************

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