Kathy Dettwyler is absolutely right.  Babies die of formula feeding in
many countries not only because the mothers cannot afford the formula in
the first place.  Even with adequate amounts of formula babies will die
because of many reasons, but including lack of clean water, lack of fuel
to boil water, and the heavy burden of infection against which the
babies will not be able to defend themselves.

If the formula companies not only provide free formula, but also provide
the resources to assure clean water, fuel to boil water, and fund the
public health measures necessary to decrease the risk of infection,
*maybe* the policy of formula for babies of HIV positive mothers would
be reasonable--and even then.

And it is not just in Africa that this is an issue.  There are Canadian
and American families living in third world conditions.  But we prefer
to forget about them.

Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC