I wanted to add my two cents on baby friendly conferences.  I realize
that Maureen Fjeld's criterea are good and correct. This is a different
issue, of course, but a problem arises when we (baby friendly people)
are not the organizers, but have been asked to speak at a conference
which has been sponsored by a formula company, or at least a formula
company has put money in, and/or where there will be booths from formula
companies and/or lots of freebies for conference attendees from these
companies (luncheons, watches etc).

This happens to me fairly often, though sometimes I forget to ask in
advance.  But what if I do know?  Do I, as only one of many speakers,
insist that the conference committee reject the money they counted on to
finance their conference?  The result will be that the invitation will
be dropped, and we get to speak only to the converted, who do baby
friendly conferences.

This happened to me the first time several years ago.  The Ontario
Dietitians had a conference and, as usual, got heavy sponsorship from a
formula company.  Betty Sterken (of INFACT Canada) and I were asked to
speak and were put in a postition of either not speaking at all or
accepting the situation.  The dietetic association certainly needs
education; they are heavily beholden to the formula companies.  If we
were not there, the only other speaker we knew of was a real sell out to
the formula companies--a pediatric nutritionist who sells the whole
formula company kit and kaboodle.  So we did not accept an honorarium,
and insisted that beside our names on the conference pamphlet it was
written "not funded by formula company money" or something along that
line.  And we spoke and got our message across to some people anyhow. A
compromise, which still irks me, but I think was the right thing to do.

Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC