Dr. Gordon's first message ( the two word one!!) reflected my sentiments
exactly, word for word. I think we have all been tempted by flirtation from
the artificial milk companies. Many of my fellow LC's have been offered
thousands of shekels to lecture at conferences sponsered by ABM companies.
we all refused. I have been offered twice my salary, I have been offered
full furnishing for my breastfeeding room.  I have been offered all sorts of
benefits which I refused, and since then I have been threatened, and
harrassed in ways which I would rather not discuss. All by one ABM company
who would love to have my name on their roster.
As part of my position in my hospital, I was doing a hot line twice a month
for a parents magazine.  Other dept heads were also doing it in their
specialties, but the breastfeeding line was the hottest.  I would get 28
calls in 3 hours, non-stop!!  I noticed that this magazine had many ABM ads
which were expanding in size and in false claims. One issue they even
provided a sample of the stuff. This was the last straw. I finally felt that
I could not continue my work with them, even if it meant jeopordizing my
position in the hospital.
 I had a meeting with the business manager of the magazine, a very nice
woman who had breastfed all her babies and who claimed that it is impossible
to run such a publication without ABM money.  She pleaded with me to
continue, so that I would offset the impact of the ads, but I could not do
it because of my professional ethics.  ( This argument did get to me for a
split second, I have to admit). I told her that there were also big bucks in
cigarette ads ! she said that was not appropriate for such a magazine.  In
my opinion, neither is artificial milk for babies who should be getting
their mothers'.
This journal was being distributed in all the hospitals in the country.  I
mentioned the issue of ABM ads in one of the courses I was giving for the
main HMO here.  I even read the false claims in the ads and the nurses and
docs were horrified.
   Now the largest HMO  in the country has banned distribution of this
magazine in their hospitals all over the country because of the ABM ads.
The point is that we have to stick together on this in order to make an
impact.  There will always be temptation , financial or other, to join them.
If we all give in for whatever reason, then the battle will be lost.
I think that too many docs have fallen prey to this temptation.  I won't
mention names, but there are docs who used to publish wonderful articles on
breastfeeding and suddenly you could start to see a switch in their
direction.  Compare articles from the 80's and then the 90's of certain
known docs.  It makes you wonder.
How many of you have been tempted?
Esther G
Tel Aviv
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