I have been amazed by the number and quality of letters written on
behalf of the Ad Council breastfeeding campaign over the last week.
Together we are a powerful group.
I am trying to send my letter to Thompson. His email is not receiving
it, but I'm sending hard copy as well. I have also written to the
senators that Marsha suggested as well as my own Senators. A couple of
the senators have web based email forms which have to be n more than
1000 characters (including spaces), so for you information and
amusement I am including here my original letter, which everyone will
get hard copy and the <1000 characters letter. It was quite an exercise
for me to cut the letter by so much and still get the message across.
The full etters to Thompson and the Senators are the same except for
the last paragraph, so I've just put the last paragraph of the senator
letter.
Thompson letter:
Dear Secretary Thompson,
I am writing to express my deep concern about the changes in content
and schedule being considered for the Ad Council breastfeeding
promotion campaign, and the reasons for the changes.
This campaign has been planned for several years in careful
consultation with experts in the field as well as citizens, in this
case expectant and new parents and grandparents, who will benefit from
this public health education effort. The Ad Council has run effective
campaigns in other areas of public health such as anti-smoking, car
seat and seat belt use, eating well to prevent cancer, diabetes and
heart disease. There is no reason to believe that they will be any less
effective with the campaign they have prepared educating the public
about breastfeeding.
It is my understanding that direct and indirect pressures are being
brought to bear by manufacturers of infant formula to tone down this
health education campaign. While it is being framed in terms of the
negativity of the campaign and not wanting mothers who do not
breastfeed to feed guilty about their choices, we are all aware that
the reason for the pressure has nothing to do with either of those, it
is the concern that the campaign will affect the bottom line of the
formula manufacturers. As corporations, they have a responsibility to
bring profits to their stock holders. Since this campaign is seen as
threatening those profits, they have an obligation to their
stockholders to try to stop or at least curtail the campaign.
(Discussion of the ethics and legality of their strategy are not the
purpose of this letter.) Government representatives and agencies have a
different set of obligations; to protect the health of its citizens of
all ages, and to give citizens full information so that they can make
fully informed medical and other decisions for themselves and their
families. Since you and the Department of Health and Human Services
fall into the category of government agency, I expect that you will
fulfill your role and obligation to protect health and educate the
public fully so that they can make wise informed decisions in this area
as the government has done so well with regard to other health issues
such as smoking, car seats and seat belts, healthy eating and so many
others.
Thank you,
Naomi Bar-Yam Ph.D.
Last paragraph senator letter:
Government representatives and agencies have a different set of
obligations; to protect the health of its citizens of all ages, and to
give citizens full information so that they can make fully informed
medical and other decisions for themselves and their families. Since
you fall into the category of government representative, I expect that
you will fulfill your role and obligation to protect health and educate
the public by encouraging Secretary Thompson and the Department of
Health and Human Services to allow the breastfeeding promotion campaign
to proceed as planned and on schedule.
<1000 characters letter
I am writing about changes in the Ad Council breastfeeding promotion
campaign.
This campaign was planned in consultation with experts in the field and
citizens who will benefit from it. The Ad Council has run effective
anti-smoking and seat belt use campaigns, there is no reason to believe
that they will be less effective now. Infant formula companies are
pressuring DHHS to tone down the campaign. They say they do not want
mothers to feel guilty, but their concern is affect of the campaign on
profits. Corporations have a responsibility to bring their stock
holders profit. Since this campaign threatens profits, they are
obligated to try to stop it. Government representatives are obligated
to protect citizens’ health and give them full information to make
informed decisions. Since you are a government representative, I expect
that you will fulfill your obligation by encouraging DHHS to allow the
breastfeeding promotion campaign to proceed as planned and on schedule.
Naomi Bar-Yam PhD
(it's 995 characters)
--------------------------------
Naomi Bar-Yam Ph.D.
[log in to unmask]
Researcher, Writer, Educator
in Maternal and Child Health
--------------------------------
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