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Sat, 21 Mar 2009 08:28:00 -0400 |
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Dear all:
Jane asked about the promotional shields that she has not seen.
First, I want to make it clear that I am generally against distribution promotional samples
through hospitals unless very strict standards and complete transparency about potential
conflicts of interest are in place. I'm speaking about ANY promotional samples in hospitals
- not merely products for infant feeding. It is a murky opaque world to the consumer. I
have no idea how decisions are made. Since I do not work in a hospital and do not every
want to, this question may seem naive and it is because I really don't know. Do hospitals
have transparency about how products are selected and which companies are giving
donations? Some of the reasons why I am against it are as follows:
1) The misperception that these samples are free may lead to a selection process that
weighs the cost to the hospital against the needs of patients.
2) Samples may result a selection of only one "average" product, such that clients who
have different needs than the "average" may not have access to the best products for
their needs.
3) Even if the hospital doesn't pay for the product, consumers pay for the product through
the increased price to cover distribution of these samples.
4) At least in Manhattan, there seems to be a system of "exclusivity". Allowing one
company to distribute their promotional samples to the exclusion of others. This limits
choice
5) The consumer who must use the product ultimately pays for the distribution of
promotional samples through higher cost.
And I'm speaking about any product in hospitals. It is a murky opaque world to the
consumer. I have no idea how decisions are made. Since I do not work in a hospital and
do not every want to, this question may seem naive and it is because I really don't know.
Do hospitals have transparency about how products are selected and which companies
are giving donations?
That having been said, the specific product is a shield that has a slightly different shape
than other shields. You cannot screw a hand pump to the back of this shield. In the
place where you would a threaded area where you either put in the tubes or screw on the
hand pump --- you have a bend with a small part that sticks up where you insert the
tube. The tubing is thinner. It is not a two piece system that makes it easy to stick them
through a home hands-free pumping bra. When it is a one piece system you have to cut
larger holes through the bra to fit the whole piece through the hole rather than just the
cone. These are given out from several hospitals. Mothers are not informed that these
are "test" or "starter" products until you buy your own. I don't know if they were
intentionally designed as "use for the duration of the breastfeeding problem" products.
Mothers tend to continue to use these for the duration, unless I come alone and notice a
problem and suggest they shift over to what I consider "use for the duration of the
breastfeeding problem" products until we can fix the problem.
It was a mother who claimed that she was told the opening was 23 mm, not 24 mm. I
have not verified this. My observations of milk yield and pain are based on many clients,
not this one mother. I have not done a "clinical" study. These are clinical observations
among the population of mothers I see.
Most mothers think of the "starter" SNS as a "use for the duration of the breastfeeding
problem" product as well. In my opinion the tube is way too short and it clogs up quickly.
After about three to five days at home, I find many babies cannot get enough milk out of
the tube because it is clogging up. The tube is ridiculously short --- so you can't do all
the innovative things you can with a Jack Newman's bottle --- like put it on a night stand
while you semi-recline in bed half asleep -- or with a syringe and long feeding tube like
one dad who wrapped the syringe with a rubber band (standard instructions I learned)
and hooked it with a paper clip through his earring hole or another dad who taped it to
the back of the rocking chair.
Best, Susan Burger
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