> Valerie writes:  The bottom line for any company who sells and markets a product is to
> increase sales.  If we take a close look at the marketing of prescription drugs or
> infant formula, what we see is that the "seduction" of the medical profession is
> part of a successful marketing stragedy.
>
> One can presume to believe that one is above seduction or seductive
> techniques.  Yet, I think we must recognize human nature.  We all are influenced by
> gifts, be it free products or funding.  Gifts have reciprocity built into the
> act.  It is very difficult to distance yourself from the
> person/company/institution who has given you a gift or funding.
>
> We certainly need breast pump companies for the products they sell.  But good
> science requires that we maintain a distance from them.  This maybe difficult
> to do, because many of our brightest and best are employed by these
> companies.  Yet I think it imperative that we try to maintain that distance.  It is
> quite easy to judge harshly the medical professions' seduction by the drug and
> infant formula industry.  And very difficult to see that we are as easily
> seduced.

Valerie, I take your above reference to the "best and brightest" as a compliment.  Thank
you!  Regarding ethics, business, and conflict of interest, during my whole career in
lactation I have puzzled constantly over these issues.  For the ten years I was in private
practice, in addition to doing home visits, I sold  products and rented breast pumps,. and
these were the lion's share of my income.

In a previous LN post, I shared  that some of the colleagues I had been closest to when I
started my practice told me that they thought accepting money for services, products, and
rentals automatically compromised my integrity.  I disagreed.  As I've heard many people on
LN express, I believed I could stay true to my beliefs and true to the best interests of
the mothers and babies I helped. while also running a business.

IMHO, money and business are intrinsically neutral.  It's how people use them that
matters.  The old saying is  not "money is the root of all evil."  It is "Love of money is
the root of all evil."

I think a business can be used for good, for evil (as the US Enron scandal demonsrates), or
for neither, depending upon the values and the character of the people who establish and
run it.  Of course, many business people *do* compromise their integrity to succeed.  But I
don't think that someone's integrity is automatically compromised as soon as business or
money enters the equation.

In hindsight, I believe that my practice always reflected my deepest values and that it
accomplished enormous good.  With no consistently reliable breastfeeding help through our
local health-care system, we were able to save many, many breastfeeding relationships.  I
know that business can be conducted ethically.  And I also know the pitfalls inherent in
it.  I think an ongoing debate about these issues is of great value (even a must!) and I
hope to see it on LN on a regular basis.

I agree that we need to be ever vigilant concerning the integrity of the businesses that we
deal with within our profession.  All information should be critically examined.  Questions
should be raised.  But from my experience, the worldview that all business are inherently
evil and/or corrupting is too pessimistic. It is true that businesses exist to make money
and to provide livelihoods.  But the pooled resources and efforts of a company can also
accomplish great good.  It all depends upon the people involved.

In my worldview, a breast pump company can thrive financially and contribute to the public
good simply by providing quality products and services to those who legitmately need/want
them--and help breastfeeding in the process.  By distancing ourselves completely from these
businesses, we run the risk of the development of less-than-optimal breastfeeding
products.  Frankly, I'd rather take that chance.

Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC
Lactation Education Specialist, Hollister, Inc.
Chicago subuebs, Illinois USA

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