Rose Marie Straeter wrote about Mead Johnson seeking Lactation Consultants
to help them produce a brochure "supportive of breastfeeding at the
beginning with the approach that later down the road if and when the mother
decides to switch to a formula that she is supported as well in that
decision."

The Code of Ethics for International Board Certified Lactation Consultants
(http://www.iblce.org/html/ethics.html) states that the IBCLC shall

1) "act in a manner that safeguards the interests of individual clients,
justifies public trust in her/his competence, and enhances the reputation
of the profession,"
2) "Remain free of conflict of interest while fulfilling the objectives and
maintaining the integrity of the lactation consultant profession."
3) "Provide sufficient information to enable clients to make informed
decisions."
4) "Disclose any financial or other conflicts of interest in relevant
organizations providing goods or services. Ensure that professional
judgment is not influenced by any commercial considerations."
5) "Adhere to those provisions of the International Code of Marketing of
Breast-milk Substitutes which pertain to health workers.

The International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes states:

"4.2 Informational and educational materials, whether written, audio, or
visual, dealing with the feeding of infants and intended to reach pregnant
women and mothers of infants and young children, should include clear
information on all the following points:
* the benefits and superiority of breastfeeding;
* maternal nutrition, and the preparation for and maintenance of
breastfeeding;
* the negative effect on breastfeeding of introducing partial bottle
feeding;
* the difficulty of reversing the decision not to breastfeed; and
* where needed, the proper use of infant formula, whether manufactured
industrially or home prepared.
When such materials contain information about the use of infant formula,
they should include the social and financial implications of its use; the
health hazards of inappropriate foods or feeding methods; and, in
particular, the health hazards of unnecessary or improper use of infant
formula and other breastmilk substitutes. Such materials should not use any
pictures or text which may idealise the use of breastmilk substitutes."

and

"8.2 Personnel employed in marketing products within the scope of this Code
should not, as part of their job responsibilities, perform educational
functions in relation to pregnant women or mothers of infants and young
children. This should not be understood as preventing such personnel from
being used for other functions by the health care system at the request and
with the written approval of the appropriate authority of the government
concerned."

As I read through these ethical guidelines, I ponder these points:

1) marketing materials, by definition, are produced to increase profit, and
not with the best interest of mothers and nurslings in mind
2) payment for an LC's help in production of such a brochure would create a
conflict of interest
3) the goal of marketing materials of formula companies (who do not abide
by the Code) is not to provide sufficient information for informed
decisions is provided nor to abide by section 4.2 of the Code (that would
defeat the profit purpose)
4) the LC (unless she has an extraordinary legal contract with the formula
company) is extremely unlikely to see her words published in a brochure
that, in its entirety, abides by section 4.2 of the Code.
5) the LC should reveal the conflict of interest created by participation
in the production of marketing materials for a formula company
6) payment for an LC's help in production of such a brochure would--in
spirit, if not word, of the Code--make her "personnel employed in marketing
products within the scope of this Code;" yet the claimed purpose of the
brochure is "educational," so section 8.2 is violated in spirit, if not
word.

My interpretation of The Code of Ethics for International Board Certified
Lactation Consultants and The International Code of Marketing of
Breast-milk Substitutes leads me to decline an invitation to participate in
the production of formula company marketing materials.

Cynthia

Cynthia Good Mojab
Ammawell
Email: [log in to unmask]
Web site: http://members.home.net/ammawell

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