The Campaign is being threatened. Below is Dr. Gartner's email to all members
of the AAP Section on Breastfeeding.  In my next email is the letter that the
President of AAP sent to the Secretary Thompson, DHHS.  After that I will
send Dr. Gartner's response on behalf of the 800 of us in the section.  Please
help by writing calm, well reasoned, short letters to Mr. Thompson in support of
the Campaign as it is, without changes (ie. the risks of NOT breastfeeding).

Dr. Gartner's email (with his permission):
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 Campign 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 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 congressmen and other
legislators.  There is every 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 Drs. 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 Drs. 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 as possible to write.  Time is of the
essence.

         Thanks for all of your support and suggestions.

                                         Larry

Lawrence M. Gartner, M.D.
Professor Emeritus, Departments of Pediatrics and Obstetrics/Gynecology
The University of Chicago


Nancy E. Wight MD, FAAP, IBCLC
Neonatologist, Children's Hospital, and Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women
Medical Director, Lactation Services, Sharp HealthCare
San Diego, CA, USA
Email: [log in to unmask]

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