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Subject:
From:
"Robert W. Sears MD FAAP" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 23 Jan 2001 16:10:44 -0500
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (79 lines)
Hello.  Allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Dr. Bob, the second son of
Dr. William Sears.  I am a father of two boys 4 and 8, my wife is a LLL
leader, and I am a pediatrician.  I practice with my father, Dr. Bill Sears,
and my brother Dr. Jim.  Because of the recent errors in judgement made by
Dr. Bill in allowing formula banners on the website, and the uproar (very
justified!) this has caused throughout LLL and the breatfeeding and AP
community worldwide, I have decided to become involved in various web
communities where these discussions are taking place.

LET ME MAKE DR BILL'S AND MY POSITION CLEAR FIRST!
I completely support the WHO code 100%
I too am extremely disappointed that formula adds and links were a part of
the Dr. Sears Website.
The fact that these formula adds were on a Dr. Sears website was very
damaging to breastfeeding supporters and proponents of the WHO code, and we
now realize that.
As an active participant in creating the website, it was my understanding
that formula adds were not going to be a part of the website.
It was also Dr. Bill's understanding that these adds were not going to be on
the website.
I am a very strong advocate of breastfeeding, and in no way support any
promotion of ABM.
I practice attachment parenting in my own family and encourage my patients
to do so.
I go out of my way continously in my practice to insure as many of my
patients as possible breastfeed for as long as possible, and so does Dr.
Bill.

HAVING SAID THAT, here is the latest information on how we have changed our
site, and realized the grevious error we had made:
1. As of 1/23/01, the formula banners and links have been completely removed
from our website, and will never return.
2. Dr. Bill, myself, and the entire Sears family are extremely sorry that we
did not maintain a more strict hold on what adds were put on the site. We
are also sorry that it took us this long to remove the add banners.

Also, to answer SEVERAL RUMORS that have surfaced:
1.  Dr. Bill is not now, and never has been, on the board of directors of
any formula company.
2.  Dr. Bill is in no way whatsoever affiliated with Nestle.
3.  This third rumor is so funny and ludicrous, it's almost not even worth
answering, but here goes:  someone was under the impression that Dr. Sears
office is not on call after hours, and makes people go to his website at 3
am for medical advice, and is not able to be paged at 3 am for emergencies.
I am glad to see on lactnet that many people realized whoever started this
rumor was very ill-informed.  This rumor is so obviously not true.  One of
the three Dr. Sears is always available after hours on call by pager for his
patients emergencies.  In addition, we also encourage our patients to check
the medical advice section of our website before they page us or as they are
waiting for us to call back.

THE BOTTOM LINE
For decades, Dr. Bill has been the strongest pediatrician advocate for
breastfeeding and attachment parenting in the world.  Unfortunately, he made
one very bad error in judgement, and the breastfeeding community worldwide
responded in dismay. Dr. Bill has heard all of you, and he and the entire
Sears family have corrected our error, and will now continue even more
fervently than before to advocate and support breastfeeding and attachment
parenting worldwide.

I appreciate that you have all kept Dr. Bill accountable in this issue, and
look forward to conversing with all of you.

Lets stop bad-mouthing Dr. Bill and trying to find fault with everything
else he does, and get on with the real important issues - supporting the WHO
code in the US and worldwide and increasing breastfeeding rates.

It is good to be able to converse with all of you.
Please, if someone could send me a list of other active internet chat groups
that have been discussing this issue, so that I might converse with them as
well, I would be very appreciative.
Dr. Bob

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