I emailed the following letter to all of the blog sites that Kerry mentioned. I think that creating this type of buzz may help eliminate some of the more egregious practices we see the formula industry engaged in. I also proposed this story to the NY Times, Boston Globe, Washington Post, and informed the Senate Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Thanks Kerry for a great idea. Any other blogs that you recommend?
Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC
Weston, MA
To the Editor:
As you know, formula companies have meddled with the federal government's attempts at promoting breastfeeding and continue to obstruct federal government breastfeeding initiatives. You are probably aware of the article that appeared in the Washington Post on this topic.
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/30/AR2007083002198.html?hpid=topnews
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Not only did the formula lobby neutralize the National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign ads and persuade HHS not to release its own data on how breastfeeding prevents acute and chronic diseases, but the industry is continuing to muzzle the federal government on another front. The FDA is conducting its second infant feeding practices study, where it intended to survey families on how and what they fed their babies. Many of the original questions asked the name of the particular brand of formula that was fed to the baby. Other questions asked about health outcomes of the babies fed these products.
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The Federal Register from April 21, 2004, contained a 60 day notice asking for comments on the infant feeding practices study. The 30 day notice from October 1, 2004, is the FDA's response to comments from the first notice. Comment 1 under Comments on the third topic shows how the FDA substantially changed how its data would be collected because the formula industry did not want brand names mentioned. You can read the formula industry's comments on the FDA website at http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dailys/04/June04/062404/04n-0166-c00001-vol1.pdf
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This is of great concern because a clinician will base many decisions on such data. If the data is not collected, analyzed, and reported then a clinician's infant feeding recommendations essentially become influenced and controlled by the formula industry. Health care providers will have no idea which brands of formula may be associated with allergies, diabetes, and other adverse health outcomes because the information has been suppressed and censored. Parents will have no clue as to the side effects of the use of many of these formulas.
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We have another example of this type of influence in Massachusetts with a bill filed in our legislature that would prevent our Department of Public Health from mandating that hospitals cease distributing formula company discharge bags (H2257).
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If you are interested in writing about this please don't hesitate to contact me.
Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC
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Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL Mail! - http://mail.aol.com
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