> <<   the 1977 Papua new Guinea (PNG)
> legislation which requires a prescription from a health professional for
> feeding bottles and associated paraphenalia, and what has happened since.
> The legislation is: the Baby Feed Supplies (Control) Act of 1977.  <snip>
>  However, when I visited PNG in early-1984, artificial baby milks (ABMs)
were
> displayed in optimal positions on the shelves of the trade stores
> (supermarkets), creating a consumer awareness of the products   ....
>
>     A 1984 amendment to the legislation added cups with perforated feeding
> spouts to the other feeding devices requiring prescription.
>
>     A 1999 report in the literature describes efforts to protect
> breastfeeding in PNG from the 1970s to the late-1990s, including the
passage
> of the above law and its amendment.  The paper also gives up-to-date
> information about the erosion of the effects of this law, with a rising
> incidence of bottle-feeding, many of the bottles having been bought
*without*
> prescription or obtained from family or friends.  There appears to be poor
> implementation of what initially seemed a world-leading piece of
legislation.
>  The remedy?  The authors recommend education and implementation.   >>
>
Jennifer Tow wrote:
> Am I missing something here? Why limit the sales of "paraphanalia" and
allow
> sales of the product? That is like limiting the sale of "illicit" drug
> paraphanalia, while allowing the sale of such drugs? This sounds more like
> politics than anything else, or did I *really* miss something?
> Jennifer Tow, IBCLC, CT, USA

Initially, the law proscribing bottles, teats and related paraphenalia
helped reduce fatal diarrhoeal disease in the new nation.  The article I
cited discussed the means by which it has been eroded in practice and makes
clear recommendations of *education and implementation* (giving it teeth).
Without the law, even poorly enforced, artificial feeding would be more
widespread that it is - and that would mean more sick or dead babies.   The
article is worth accessing, for a full coverage of the topic.
    I am currently NOMAIl, but can be contacted privately.
          Virginia
          in Brisbane

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html