YOU mentioned that several artificial milk companies were publishing
"scientific articles" which actually put their competition in a bad light.
For those of you who have not been on Lactnet for long, I have a great story
that I have already told, but I cannot find it in the archives.
Several years ago, there was a panel consisting of reps of all the
artificial milk companies here in Israel, a LLL leader, and a rep from the
Health ministry.  Each was allowed to give an opening statement, and then
the panel would start.  The audience was new mothers and pregnant women who
had come to a baby fair which is basically a huge commercial conference with
everyone pushing their wares at pregnant and new mothers. There were
lectures and panels in the auditoriums all day.
Each company rep started with the " Of course breast milk is the best for
babies BUT..." and the buts were clever. If you were not an LC you might be
fooled by the statement that artificial milk is good to have around if the
mother cannot breastfeed as in cases where she is taking antibiotic (?) or
if the baby has jaundice (?) or if the mother is sick (?).  ( Don't worry, I
blasted her on that one.)
The LLL leader made a simple statement: when you are listening to our
discussion, keep in mind that I am the only one here who does not benefit
financially from what I am representing here........the artificial milk
companies benefit financially if the mother does not breastfeed, and the
health ministry benefits if mothers do breastfeed by saving money, etc.
Each formula rep started her shtick about how this company puts iron in the
formula. The next one cited references why iron is bad, and said how her
company puts LCPUFA for brain development, and the next rep blasted both
with up-dated references on the dangers of those and other additives to
artificial milk.  We heard about the dangers of soy, and the dangers of
coconut oil which one company was just starting to use.  And all from the
companies themselves, with detailed research to back every word.  The LLLL
sat back and smiled smugly, as we all did, but the audience grew more
agitated as the discussion became more and more heated!! The Health Ministry
said that they have no control over what goes into artificial milk.
A sweet little grandfatherly man sitting in the back asked a question.  He
introduced himself as a doctor who is about to become a grandfather, and a
member of the ethics committee that  gives permission for research projects.
He said that he was in shock by what he just heard.  He said that what is
happening here is like a huge research project with no control, and in the
light of what had been discussed here, he would make sure that his
grandchildren would never taste one drop of the artificial stuff.  This was
filmed by one of the organizers, but interesting how the film got
lost?????????
This would be a great thing to do at a conference: invite all the artificial
milk companies, and let them bash each other!!


Esther Grunis, IBCLC
Lis Maternity Hospital
Tel Aviv, Israel

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