scholarly journals Commentary: Stewart Forsyth's article - Non-compliance with the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes is not confined to the infant formula industry

2013 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Joo Kean
Keyword(s):  
Breast Milk ◽  
Infant Formula ◽  
International Code ◽  
Breast Milk Substitutes ◽  
Milk Substitutes

RESPONSE BY NESTLE TO THE WHO CODE ON BREAST-MILK SUBSTITUTES

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1982 ◽  
Vol 70 (5) ◽  
pp. 707-707
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Milk ◽  
Infant Formula ◽  
General Public ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Media Analysis ◽  
International Code ◽  
Written Information ◽  
Who Code ◽  
Breast Milk Substitutes ◽  
Milk Substitutes

The Nestle Group has prepared written instructions (dated February, 1982) for its employees on the implementation of the W.H.O. International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. . . . The instructions appear in parallel with the relevant sections of the code, and the comparisons thus offered raise some doubts about the purity of Nestle's intentions. Article 2 of the international code, for instance, states that it covers all breast-milk substitutes, including complementary foods. Nestle has limited its applicability to infant formula alone, exempting its weaning cereals and canned milks, which are often marketed as early supplements to breast milk. Concerning the circulation of informational and educational material to pregnant women and mothers of young children, Nestle says: "Information intended for mothers. . . may bear corporate and product brand (packshot permitted)." Is this really within the terms of the code? Another requirement of the code disregarded by Nestle, is the inclusion in any such material of a warning of the health hazards of the improper use of infant formula. Article 5 of the W.H.O. code states that "There should be no advertising or other forms of promotion to the general public of products within the scope of this Code." Nestle has written: "Information relating to specific brands of infant formula must not be communicated directly to mothers or to the general public." Conceivably, such a statement could permit generic infant formula advertising in the mass media. Analysis of Nestle's guidelines discloses ways in which they might be used to circumvent various parts of the international code, such as the code's stipulations on free samples to health workers and free supplies to institutions.

Implementation of International Code of Marketing Breast-Milk Substitutes in China

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 467-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aihua Liu ◽  
Yaohua Dai ◽  
Xiaohua Xie ◽  
Li Chen
Keyword(s):  
Breast Milk ◽  
International Code ◽  
Breast Milk Substitutes ◽  
Milk Substitutes

scholarly journals Evidence of Violations of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes since the Adoption by the World Health Assembly in 1981: A Systematic Scoping Review Protocol

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (18) ◽  
pp. 9523
Author(s):  
Genevieve E. Becker ◽  
Constance Ching ◽  
Paul Zambrano ◽  
Allison Burns ◽  
Jennifer Cashin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Milk ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Research Question ◽  
World Health ◽  
International Code ◽  
World Health Assembly ◽  
Published Evidence ◽  
The World ◽  
Breast Milk Substitutes ◽  
Milk Substitutes

This is the protocol for a scoping review that aims to systematically explore and summarise the published evidence of violations of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (the Code) and subsequent World Health Assembly Resolutions globally. The planned scoping review will seek to identify what research has been conducted on the topic, examine the geographic spread and nature of violations, and summarise knowledge gaps. The Code was adopted in 1981 by the World Health Assembly to protect infant health, in particular from aggressive and inappropriate marketing of breastmilk substitutes including formula and related products. Non-compliance with the Code or violations are described in reports, however, no existing systematic review of the global research appears to have been conducted that encompasses the varied disciplines including health, economics, and gender. The review will inform international and national decision-makers on the nature of violations and potentially highlight the need for new modalities to regulate this marketing. The proposed scoping review will use the six-step process of Arksey and O’Malley which includes defining the research question; identifying the relevant literature; selecting studies; charting the data; collating, summarising and reporting the findings; and will include a consultative group.

Has Pakistan failed to ban the sale of formula milk?

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Areeba Nakhuda ◽  
Emaan Amin ◽  
Sakina Abbas
Keyword(s):  
Breast Milk ◽  
Infant Formula ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Child Nutrition ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Formula Milk ◽  
Awareness Campaigns ◽  
Breast Milk Substitutes ◽  
Milk Substitutes

According to a report published by WHO and UNICEF, countries continue to promote infant formula as a substitute for breast milk. (1) Out of 194 countries, 136 have adopted measures from the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk substitutes while 79 countries have banned the marketing of breast milk substitutes in hospitals. (1) Pakistan introduced a Protection of Breastfeeding and Child Nutrition Ordinance in October 2002 to restrict the promotion of infant formula milk. (2) The Ordinance prohibits the marketing of infant formula as a substitute for mother’s milk. (2) Healthcare workers are prohibited from accepting any gifts or samples from the formula milk companies, and they should promote breastfeeding. (2) Breastmilk improves nutrition and provides antibodies for protection against various diseases. (1) Babies should be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months after which complementary food should be given along with breastfeeding up to 2 years of age. (1) Undernutrition is responsible for about half of the under 5 deaths as it increases the frequency and severity of common infections. (3) However, in Pakistan, 48% of infants are breastfed exclusively for 0-5 months and the under 5 mortality rate in Pakistan is 67.2 per 1000 live births. (4) Healthcare providers play a pivotal role in encouraging parents’ decision to breastfeed their child by regular counselling where they highlight the benefits and address any misconceptions. During the COVID19 pandemic, there has been a decline in counselling, skilled lactation and other services by healthcare providers to encourage breastfeeding practice. (1) Practices of social distancing have made community counselling and mother support groups for promotion of breastfeeding challenging, leaving a gap for formula milk companies to profit from the crisis and weaken the confidence in nursing. (1) A study in Pakistan revealed that 70.5% of the healthcare workers had no knowledge about the national breastfeeding law. As a result, formula milk companies continued to violate the ban on distributing free samples and gifts to the healthcare staff. (5) This calls for a strict re-enforcement of regulations in hospitals and conducting nationwide awareness campaigns via social media, television, newspapers to counter the marketing of breastmilk substitutes and promote breastfeeding.  Keeping in mind that the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the risks associated with coronavirus, WHO and UNICEF have encouraged mothers to breastfeed during the COVID-19 pandemic as there is no substantial evidence that the virus can be transmitted via breastmilk. (1) Continuous....

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