What would happen if ALL members of LactNet were to: 

- seek a policy commitment from the hospitals in or near which they work specifying that the facility will not distribute educational material on breastfeeding that implicitly promotes the use of breastrmilk substitutes by carrying the logo of a formula or bottle manufacturer? 

- state individually that it is also against our professional ethics (whether IBCLCs, League leaders or medical folk) to participate in distribution of educational materials on breastfeeding that implicity promote the use of breastmilk substitutes by carrying the logo of a formula or bottle manufacturer?  

This pre-emptive approach based on explicit statement of principles prevents our getting into endless discussions with colleagues about whether the information in a particular book is technically accurate, or whether it violates the Code, or whether mothers are believed to "need" the education, or whether it comes from a respected source like the AAP, or whether the other books that other formula companies will surely provide during their turns to give out free formula are adequate, and so on.  

We can act collectively BEFORE the formula companies get such books out to all of their reps and the hospital directors have accepted them. If we wait, the custom of relying on the companies to provide all infant feeding educational books can become entrenched, and administrators will lose face when asked to change the practice.  Prevention is better than cure.  We do our hospital adminstrators a favor by warning them of this marketing tactic and inviting them to sign on to a common ethical statement.  

Then we can use LactNet to consolidate and publicise lists of individuals and facilities that have signed onto that statement.

If any of you writers like this idea, please volunteer to be a focal point, develop a brief and eloquent statement, and put it up for us and our hospitals to sign.  
(And let's not bog down in fine-tuning the wording, friends, because time is of the essence in this pre-emptive effort.) 

Helen 



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