The key to Linda Shaw's disappointment with the exhibits at the Spring AAP meeting is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Last year the Human Milk Banking Association of North America, Inc. exhibited for the first time at the annual AAP meeting in Boston. Thanks to a grant from a private foundation, hotel accomodations shared with La Leche League, a location within driving distance for me and staffing the booth with only 1 person, we were able to afford the $800 non-profit registration fee charged by AAP and all other expenses. In anticipating the 1997 annual AAP meeting in New Orleans I have had to budget $3846. - includes airfare, hotel for two people, meals, registration fee, shipping the exhibit, etc. This figure represents approximately 30% of the total income for HMBANA in 1996. Needless to say, we will be registering for only one AAP meeting and then only if we receive a grant to do this. The fall meeting, being the annual meeting, is more heavily attended, and therefore more cost effective for non-profits with limited funds for exhibiting. If the lack of non-profit exhibitors interested in breastfeeding is bothersome to physicians, perhaps they could go to bat for us and try and influence their professional society to lower the registration fee for non-profits, bearing in mind that it costs a great deal for all the other expenses involved in exhibiting. While I speak only for HMBANA, I am sure that ILCA and LLLI would also appreciate lower registration fees! P.S. The non-profit registration fee for the American Pediatric Society/Society for Pediatric Research/Ambulatory Pediatric Association annual meeting in the spring is $1100! Lois D. W. Arnold, MPH, IBCLC Executive Director, HMBANA