Dear Evi, and Lactnet:
the news story below states:
The efficacy and safety of formula products are confirmed by rigorous
studies and new formula products are subject to rigorous regulation by
the Food and Drug Administration.
Those of us who have been following the DHA/ARA controversy are aware that the FDA's regulation of new infant formula products is far less rigorous than their standards around testing and approval of new drugs. My understanding is that so long as the manufacturer can demonstrate that the proposed infant formula product contains all of the FDA's required list of ingredients, the FDA must approve it. New ingredients like DHA/ARA can be added pretty easily, because they are "extra".
And on another thread, Dr Gottleib (author of the Women's Forum article) states that overzealous promotion of breastfeeding could prevent women in developing countries from leaving their infants to pursue paid employment. He goes on to say that breastfeeding rates have risen in the US and other industrialized nations since workplaces began to make accommodation for their breastfeeding employees, in the form of break time and pumping rooms. As a long-time advocate for workplace accommodation, I'm frankly amazed that anyone could read the research on breastfeeding in the workplace and come to this conclusion. Workplace accommodation is the exception in the US, not the rule. In the current political climate, it is next to impossible to secure public policy which regulates business in any way.
Martha Johnson RN IBCLC
Eugene Oregon
co-author SB 618 (workplace accommodation bill, currently pending in the Oregon State Legislature)
-----Original Message-----
From: Evi Adams [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, May 13, 2005 9:59 AM
Subject: Press release re - UN Scaring Women Unnecessarily
press release which refers to what I posted previously
Independent Women's Forum Says United Nations Scaring Women Unnecessarily
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<http://www.iwf.org>
http://www.iwf.org
New Study Reaffirms Infant Formula Indeed Safe, Nutritional
WASHINGTON, May 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The Independent Women's Forum today
released a study that reaffirms what millions of mothers around the world
already know: that infant formula is safe and nutritional. The study by Dr.
Scott Gottlieb, a practicing physician and fellow at the American Enterprise
Institute, found that while breastfeeding is the preferred method of infant
nutrition, the World Health Organization's policy unnecessarily scares women
away from using formula, which in some cases, leaves women and their babies
worse off.
"The IWF study confirms that infant formula is both safe and a good source
of infant nutrition," said Nancy M. Pfotenhauer, president of the Independent
Women's Forum. "With these new findings, we urge the WHO to drop the proposed
resolution on infant formula and reverse its misguided policy on infant and
child nutrition."
Dr. Gottlieb found that WHO's one size fits all policy advocating
breastfeeding as the only solution, while intentionally denying women adequate
information about alternatives to breast feeding such as infant formula,
leaves them dangerously in the dark about options that might be more suitable
to their health and social circumstances. "The WHO's drive for breastfeeding
only, is in keeping with the WHO's approach to other public health solutions,
an approach that favors cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all policy," said
Gottlieb.
Among the study's main findings:
-- Scientific evidence continues to support breastfeeding as the primary
source of newborn nutrition.
-- The efficacy and safety of formula products are confirmed by rigorous
studies and new formula products are subject to rigorous regulation by
the Food and Drug Administration.
-- One-size-fits-all policy prescriptions that advocate breastfeeding as
the only solution, and deny women information about the array of
options and the risks and benefits of each approach could leave these
women, and especially their babies, worse off.
-- There are clear circumstances when formula feeding is a preferred, if
not required, strategy for maximizing the health of the newborn.
IWF fears that policies being debated at the UN could give ammunition to
those who want to push for a ban on infant formula throughout much of the
world, setting women's development back decades. The United Nations health
agency, the World Health Organization is planning to vote on a resolution that
could place black warning labels on infant formula at the 58th World Health
Assembly in Geneva on May 16, 2005.
The study (available on IWF's website at:
<http://www.iwf.org>http://www.iwf.org) was
conducted by Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a practicing physician and fellow at the
American Enterprise Institute. Dr. Gottlieb served as a senior advisor and
Director of Medical Policy at the FDA from 2003 - 2004.
SOURCE Independent Women's Forum
Web Site: <http://www.iwf.org>http://www.iwf.org
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