Barbara advised us of a new publication from a formula company that is a
spiral bound pocketguide for breastfeeding that will be presented to
attendees of a noon conference. There are a number of things to be aware of
and depending on how many waves you wish to make there are steps to take to
help discourage the use of these giveaways.

Contact your hospital's ethics committee and ask them how this publication
and sponsorship from a company that is in direct competition with breast milk
can be allowed to be given out to physicians. Remind those in charge that
sponsorship violates the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk
Substitutes. Ask the organizers if they are being compensated for promoting
infant formula. Ask what else the Dept of Family Medicine has been given by
the formula company as an incentive to use these booklets. Formula companies
have targeted residency programs, offering them large sums of cash if they
will get hospital units to change breastfeeding policies in order to give out
formula-containing discharge packs.

If the Department of Family Medicine has been given money for facilitating
this conference, ask your hospital attorney for a legal opinion on this
conference's sponsorship. Check your hospital's vendor policy to see if the
formula rep violated it when the ABM display was put up in the lobby. If this
violates the vendor policy then this vendor should be reprimanded and
forbidden to walk the corridors unless your policy is adhered to. Complain to
the formula reps supervisor.

Please send me a copy of the materials distributed at this conference. I am
in the process of gathering materials for a publication on the State of the
Code-USA which I am writing under my NABA (National Alliance for
Breastfeeding Advocacy) hat.

Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC
Weston, MA

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