There is an increase in the association of pediatric associations with formula companies for conferences and publications in many countries. When companies like Nestles and Gerber sponsor pediatric association conferences, I believe the wrong message is sent and people have the impression that the pediatric association is endorsing, as opposed to simply sponsoring, formula company products.
A positive example is The Indian Pediatric Association. It does not use formula company money for its conferences and scholarships and so does not promote the formula companies. Any more positive (or particularly awful negative) examples that you have in mind? Leave it in the comments.
Check this site out http://www.multinationalmonitor.org/mm2008/072008/allai for up to date information on formula companies and their products.
In addition to expanding their markets infant formula companies are promoting products like Sustagen and Prosobe, historically marketed for only sick children but now for all children under 12. Companies like Nestles are buying up water sources and selling bottled water to mothers who should feed their infants naturally sterilized breastmilk with all its antibiotics and nutrients. Breastmilk is 90% water… even in the desert breastfed babies do not need to get water.
It is poor women who are most at risk and infant food companies are aiming to increase sales of their products to poor women.
An H&M in Vancouver told a breastfeeding mother she couldn’t breastfeed there due to “company policy”. A nurse in protest was organized at the store and the company ended up changing its policy.
Hooray for networking and women support. Its really disgusting that even the 21st century, bottlefeeding is allowed but breastfeeding is considered indecent and offensive.
Fanie de Boer, Weningnen Institute course director, said in response to my inquiry re the course for Food and Nutrition Security Conference 2009’s questionable funding from Nestles Foundation. “We are quite aware of one of our very good facilitators, the distinguished Professor Gebre Medhin of the University of Upsala, has a seat on the Board of Nestle Foundation. As you are probably aware the Nestle Foundation is an independent institute with funding of Nestle.”
But here is my question: Can the Nestles Foundation [i]really[/i] be separate from Nestles Corporation and promote breastfeeding while Nestles Corporation (its majority sponsor and namesake) is trying to expand its infant formula sales?