Source: http://info.babymilkaction.org/news/policyblog
Timestamp: 2017-08-23 09:54:44
Document Index: 4084613

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 4', 'art4', 'art4', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 2']

Patti Rundall's Policy blog | Archive site - new site at www.babymilkaction.org
Take a look behind the scenes of Baby Milk Action by following the blog of Patti Rundall OBE, Policy Director.
Spotlight on Charity fundraising - Sport Relief and others
24 March, 2014 - 14:29 — Patti
Governments take the ‘drivers’ seat’ on child obesity
14 March, 2014 - 14:23 — Patti
A carefully worded EU Action Plan on Childhood Obesity, initiated one year ago under the Irish Presidency, was adopted at the Greek Presidential Conference in Athens on 26th February.1 The Plan reflects the political complexity of the 27-member EU and aims to ‘demonstrate a shared commitment to addressing childhood obesity.’ The priority actions in ‘a possible toolbox of measures for consideration’ respect Member States’ ‘roles and freedom of action in counteracting childhood obesity.’2
EFSA preliminary findings prompt renewed calls for claims ban
14 March, 2014 - 14:11 — Patti
On 20th January the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published the preliminary work it will use for its forthcoming evaluation of essential formula ingredients. The review is part of the ongoing overhaul of all EU baby food legislation. 1
IBFAN Briefing on Foods for Special Medical Purposes
13 March, 2014 - 10:04 — Patti
DRAFT BFLG IBFAN Comment on Recommendations for Requirements for Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP) for infants
CLICK HERE for PDF of this Briefing
CLICK HERE for a PDF of Update 46
Rapporteur on the Right to Food speaking at the UKFG Investing in agriculture for food sovereignty conference
28 January, 2014 - 16:18 — Patti
Olivier de Schutter, Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food speaking at the UKFG Investing in agriculture for food sovereignty conference
Videos of the speakers from this really inspiring conference are now online at: www.ukfg.org.uk/2013investinginag/
Conflicts of Interest and Infant feeding at the WHO Executive Board Meeting
19 January, 2014 - 18:26 — Patti
TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED SEE PRESS RELEASE
CLICK HERE for decision on MIYCN
IBFAN is granted status as an NGO working in official relations with WHO
IBFAN and WHOFrom left to right
Lida Lhotska, IBFAN Regional Coordinator for Europe,
Dr Francesco Branca, Director, WHO Department for Nutrition and Health Development
Dr Elizabeth Mason, Director, WHO Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health
Patti Rundall, Co-Chair, IBFAN’s Global Council.
WHO's EXECUTIVE BOARD (EB) meeting (EB134) in Geneva began on 20th January and ended on the 25th. Conflicts of Interest, WHO's interactions with 'Non State Actors' have been hot topics. The EB decided to refuse ISDI (the baby feeding industry) official status but accepted IBFAN and GAIN. CLICK HERE
15 January, 2014 - 14:53 — Patti
This story from Australia illustrates the pickle that some organisations can get into when they forget to check sponsors for conflicts of interest.
Media stories: Abbott in court, Sancor donations in China
9 January, 2014 - 19:49 — Patti
Jury to decide if baby formula caused Sioux City girl's brain damage Sioux City Journal.com CLICK HERE
CCTV news report from China: Corrupt hospitals stop breastfeeding
2 January, 2014 - 23:13 — Patti
CLICK HERE for a report on DUMEX/Danonein China
http://english.cntv.cn/program/china24/20130916/104588.shtml
19 December, 2013 - 23:07 — Patti
8 December, 2013 - 17:38 — Patti
SUN and Conflicts of Interest
6 December, 2013 - 11:05 — Patti
SUN and Conflicts of Interest:
IBFAN is concerned about the non-transparent process (discussions under Chatham House Rules) chosen by SUN to address conflicts of interest. This process has been led by the Global Social Observatory (GSO), a Geneva-based think tank funded by the GATES Foundation.
Consultation on Goats' milk protein in infant formula
5 December, 2013 - 21:10 — Patti
Baby Milk Ation comments on the Consultation on goats milk formulas
CLICK HERE for consultation papers
If you agree please use our comments to send a submission to:
parnutnotification@dh.gsi.gov.uk
DEADLINE for ENGLAND 6th December
Breastfeeding, stunting in EU and WHO Action Plans
3 December, 2013 - 15:23 — Patti
Three important documents are under discussion now:
1 EU Action Plan to Reduce the Number of stunted children by 7 million by 2025
2 Draft EU Action Plan on Childhood Obesity
3 DRAFT WHO European Region Food and Nutrition Action Plan 2014 – 2020
Philippines Typhoon - Protecting infant health through breastfeeding.
29 November, 2013 - 19:07 — Patti
To understand the complexity of the situation and the pressures on those trying to protect infant health - read this first hand account by VELVET C. ESCARIO-ROXAS
You can see a picture of Velvet campaigning about BPA on the IBFAN website HERE
CLICK here for an INQUIRER NEWS STORY
SUN Business Network Announces New Members
27 November, 2013 - 15:00 — Patti
26 November, 2013 - 20:30 — Patti
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/larry/new-soda-tax-makes-mexico_b_4325724.html
This month the new government of Mexico made history. In the country that consumes more soda per capita than any in the world, where the former president had been the top executive for Coca-Cola, the national Congress struck a blow for public health by passing a one-peso-per-liter tax on soda and an 8 percent tax on junk food. We in the U.S. can learn a lot from our neighbor to the south--as well as from countries including Finland, Hungary and France that have passed similar measures. Even England's Conservative Party-led government is considering such a tax.
Urgent UN appeal NOT to send formula donations to Typhoon victims
21 November, 2013 - 18:40 — Patti
SUPER TYPHOON YOLANDA: BREASTFFEDING SAVES LIVES!
Letters to the Lancet, the Editor's tweets and more
21 November, 2013 - 16:46 — Patti
Read on for our letter to the Lancet Series on Maternal and Child Nutrition about the fact that two of the authors are members of Nestlé's Creating Shared Value Committee. Such roles could, depending on the circumstance, result in exclusion from European Food Safety Authority Working Groups.
Richard Horton, @richardhorton1 the Editor of the Lancet has since Tweeted the following questions:
Can anyone out there give me evidence about Nestlé's negative influences in health? Opinions are strong, and that's fine, but I need facts.
then later: What about Danone: are they the acceptable face of commercial influence in health? Or not? I just don't know
The power of big food: a few corporate conglomerates shape the way you live your life. How do we resist?
Follow the Twitter correspondence including from Prof Anthony Costello:
"Maybe one way to resist big food is not to have members of Nestle's advisory board directing the Lancet Nutrition Series" - and "Former head UNICEF nutrition asks why Lancet lead authors on nutrition series served on Nestlé Advisory Committe"
Our responses suggesting that he look at hard, on the ground evidence about Nestle or Danone - rather than what they say - have not been acknowledged. The suggestion from Gary Darmstadt of the Gates Foundation to look at FTSE4Good and ATNI (the two industry whitewashes ) was warmly welcomed. Interesting.
Comments on Foods for Special Medical Purposes (FSMPs) for infants and pesticides
14 November, 2013 - 16:39 — Patti
Comments by IBFAN, Baby Milk Action and the Baby Feeding Law Group
Tomorrow: 15th November 2013 Member States Experts meeting on Foods for Special Medical Purposes (FSMPs) for infants and pesticides in food for infants and young children
CLICK HERE for Commission FSMP paper
CLICK HERE for Commission Pesticides Paper
NEW Paper! NGO concerns about WHO’s consultation on engagement with non-State actors
29 October, 2013 - 05:15 — Patti
NEW PAPER on NGO concerns about WHO’s consultation on engagement with non-State actors CLICK HERE
PLEASE read and support if you agree.
When: 17–18 October 2013, 10:00–13:00 and 15:00–18:00
25 October, 2013 - 08:50 — Patti
Mexico moves closer to a soda tax
18 October, 2013 - 21:48 — Patti
Last night, the Chamber of Deputies, Mexico's lower house of Congress, approved a 1 peso per liter tax on SSBs (10%)
310 in favor, 166 against, 5 abstentions, 19 absent.
Next up, the Senate! (which must vote on the fiscal reform package October 21-31)
CLICK here for background to the Crusade Against Hunger story.
Click here for El Poder del Consumidor - the fantastic consumer group we have been working with to protect child health.
WHO corrects its country implementation report.
16 October, 2013 - 13:51 — Patti
WHO Country Code reportWHO has now corrrected its report on Country Implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes - Status Report 2011.(1)
GSK pushes Junior Horlicks at 'Toddlers' in India
16 October, 2013 - 11:30 — Patti
GSK Junior Horlicks promotion in IndiaSTOP PRESS: December 2013: Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) upheld a complaint against claims in GSK's print advertisement of Junior Horlicks, that ‘added supplement contents like DHA and CHOLINE in the product that are important for child's brain development’, ‘Competent and reliable scientific evidence’ (CRSE)’, ‘supplements containing omega-3 FA like DHA.’
http://www.ascionline.org/images/pdf/asci-ccc-sep-2013.pdf
Coming back through Delhi airport this weekend I noticed this promotion for GSK's Junior Horlicks in the Guardian Pharmacy claiming: "100% RDA Nutrients for Growth, DHA for Brain."
I thought all promotion of foods for children under 2 years is stricly banned in India. Since GSK has now joined GAIN perhaps we can expect more of this.
One good piece of news about GSK however - it has sold Ribena and Lucozade.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24013720
Abbott promotion in Grenada
18 September, 2013 - 07:22 — Patti
CLICK HERE for Mike Brady's Blog about the awful sponsorship at the International Conference on Nutrition in Grenada Spain.
CICK here for the sponsors
Here's an example of one of the displays!
11 September, 2013 - 15:30 — Patti
Conflict of Interests: Maternal and child Nutrition Big Food and Big Science
9 September, 2013 - 08:19 — Patti
Codex: IBFAN and IACFO Comments on the India proposal for foods for Underweight children.
26 July, 2013 - 06:59 — Patti
Proposal for a Part B in the Standard for Processed Cereal-Based Foods for Infants and Young Children (Codex Stan 074-1981, Rev – I 2006)
Report on the Post 2015 Development Goals
16 July, 2013 - 16:32 — Patti
The Secretary General's High Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post 2015 Development Goals, has released its Report with recommendations on the Post MDGs development goals for the next 15 years
Calling off tomorrow's leafleting
10 July, 2013 - 17:46 — Patti
Guidance on commercial Sponsorship - Nestle sneaks in
10 July, 2013 - 09:58 — Patti
With all the dodgy sponsorship of conferences going on people may welcome the IBFAN and Baby Feeding law group guidelines. (Page down for links)
Here I am (9.7.13) with Mike Brady outside the Royal College of Physicians where Nestlé had booked an event targeting health workers under a different name. The RCP say they would not have accepted the booking had they known. See Mike's campaign blog for more details and news, including the cancelling of one in Birmingham tomorrow.
Letter from a paediatrician to the Chilean Paediatrics Association president
2 July, 2013 - 11:11 — Patti
CLICK HERE for PDF of a really good letter about Danone sponsorship from Dra. Cecilia Castillo L. in Chile
At last - some accurate reporting on Venezuela
22 June, 2013 - 09:55 — Patti
CLICK HERE for a very good article exposing the way that corproate media has distorted the moves to strengthen infant and young child health protection in Venezuela.
Cochrane finds food as good as commercial Ready-to-use products
20 June, 2013 - 05:33 — Patti
CLICK HERE FOR IBFAN STATEMENT ON COCHRANE
19 June, 2013 - 13:23 — Patti
CLICK HERE for WHO Euro's new report
Copenhagen, 18 June 2013
European Parliament to vote on new regulations on baby food marketing
10 June, 2013 - 17:18 — Patti
BBCEuropean Parliament to vote New regulations on baby food marketing
WHO Bulletin showing impact of legislation on maternity provisions
9 June, 2013 - 09:44 — Patti
6 June, 2013 - 18:06 — Patti
Can business help tackle malnutrition? DSM sponsors Guardian Q&A
6 June, 2013 - 16:38 — Patti
UK Government raises concerns about Probiotics
30 May, 2013 - 16:05 — Patti
See previous blog entry HERE
The EU Parliament's ENVI Committee yesterday voted unanimously for the new proposals for a Regulation on food intended for infants and young children, food for special medical purposes. This will now go forward for the final vote in the full EU Parliament in Strasbourg in June.
One of the things we have been lobbying for in these proposals is the issue of 'optional ingredients' and the pre-authorisation of all ingredients used in baby formulas and foods, so we are pleased that once this regulation is adopted these issues can be considered in the new delegated acts. Whatever happens, there will be more oversight from Parliament on all new ingredients.
Kellogg To Pay $4 Million Over Frosted Mini-Wheats Ad That Claimed Cereal Improved Kids' Attentiveness
30 May, 2013 - 13:35 — Patti
Vote in the European Parliament ENVI Committee 29th May
28 May, 2013 - 11:58 — Patti
24 May, 2013 - 14:54 — Patti
Conflicts of Interest discussed at the World Health Assembly and EB 133 -news and useful links
Ronald McDonald and Tony the Tiger look for new jobs - Kellogs forced to compensate children
Marketing junkfood to children : two familiar figures visit the World Health Assembly - Ronald McDonald and Tony the Tiger look for new jobs handing out their CVs to delegates attending the World Health Assembly. 20th May
Here I am being refused entry into the UN, apparently because I failed to meet the UN dress code. Later in the week I was given a much better reason for the refusal - that it was deceptive. Perhaps the corporations that use these disguises to befriend children could think about that!
CLICK HERE for PDF of Consumers International Press release
CLICK HERE for World Public Health Nutrition Weblink.
CLICK HERE: Kelloggs has to payout. 28th May: www.cerealsettlement.com
Patti as TonyHere I am outside the headquarters of the World Health Organization taking a breather.
Stop Nestle patenting fennel flower properties, Peter Brabeck says water is not a public right
21 April, 2013 - 09:44 — Patti
Friday 29 March 2013 was the last day for public comments on the 4th draft of WHO's Global Action Plan for the prevention and Control of NCDs (2013-2020)
Today is the last day for comments on the Public web consultation on WHO’s engagement with non-State actors.
United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights States, business, civil society and other stakeholders can submit suggestions for the 2013 United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights.
Submissions may be sent to forumbhr@ohchr.org by 12 April 2013.
Below is an excerpt from an excellent article in Today's Guardian about baby food companies in Indonesia:
If you agree that breastfeeding should be specifically mentioned in the next Millennium Development Goals please make a submission - however short - to an online consultation that ends 10th January. Follow this link Contributions can be posted on the consultation website(www.fao.org/fsnforum/post-2015) or sent to fsn-moderator@fao.org and are welcome in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian and Chinese.
IBFAN's submission is HERE
STOP PRESS: We understand that this research is to stop. Thanks to all those who supported this campaign
Please help stop the industry funded research about to start in Indonesia entitled "Effect in Using Formula Composed with Cow's Milk Fat, Enriched with Mixed Fats & Added Fosfolipid on Duration & Infection in Babies' Digestive and Respiratory System"
IBFAN has written to the Her Excellency, Dilma Roussef, DD President of Brazil, about the Regulation of Law 11265/2006 which protects infants from the unethical commercial promotion of products that undermine breastfeeding practices.
The link to one of the letters is HERE
The interesting article in the Guardian about the tour of the Nestle ship is HERE
Join the ongoing discussion in the BMJ about Veena Rao's personal opinion piece entitled, "Law on infant foods inhibits the marketing of complementary foods for infants, furthering undernutrition in India" click HERE Following our complaint the BMJ has published the following correction: "In this online Personal View (BMJ 2012;345:e8131, doi:10.1136/bmj.e8131) the author, Veena Rao, did not declare any competing interests. She has now told us that she has been “a member of the Advisory Board on the Britannia Nutrition Foundation (a non-profit trust) since 2009.” The website of the foundation is at www.britannia.co.in/bnf/index.html. Ms Rao has submitted a further comment but fails to mention that Britannia Nutrition Foundation is funded by Brittania Industries Ltd.
IBFAN's Discussion Paper on the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) initiative - outlining our concerns about the role of businesses and why we cannot be part of SUN has been posted onto the SUN wesbite here just above a link to the launch of the SUN Business network
A BMJ study looked at the impact of idealised images and cross branding (in this case Nestlé's Mother and Baby bear logo on coffee creamer ) in LAOS one of the world's poorest countries. It s relevant and pertinent to the ongoing discussions in Codex.
The Codex meeting is taking place in Bad Soden, nr Frankfurt in Germany
I have been attending an EU Food Law meeting this week on The Revision of the PARNUTs Directive - it was attended by all the major companies.
‘Preventing disease and saving resources: the potential contribution of increasing breastfeeding rates in the UK’
Click here for the Reuters report on WHO that has generated a flurry of responses - page down
Responses to WHO consultation: Updated Action Plan for the Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases - 2013-2020
IBFAN's response is here:
The World Cancer Research Fund response is here:
Sunday 12th August 2012 - World Leader Summit on hunger - hosted by David Cameron
Prof Zef Ebrahim Memorial Lecture
1 August, 2012 - 13:54 — Patti
'Challenges for Mother and Child Health: perspectives from Southern Africa' ,
All are welcome to the Prof Zef Ebrahim Memorial Lecture on Wednesday 3rd October 2012 at 12 noon in the Kennedy Lecture Theatre, Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London. The talk will be given in Zef's honour by one of his ex-students, Dr Felicitas Zawairi, now WHO Representative in Malawi.
Zef work has been of critical importance to IBFAN and Baby Milk Action since the 70s and we miss him terribly. (More to follow)
For Zef's Obituary in the Guardian see:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2012/may/24/zef-ebrahim-obituary
Photo of breastfeeding National Guardswomen stirs U.S. debate
The 65th World Health Assembly passed an important Resolution on Maternal, infant and young child nutrition.
For Press release see: http://info.babymilkaction.org/IYCNResolution2012
The proposed text is attached as a pdf. This was adopted today.
For further details contact Patti Rundall, Baby Milk Action Policy Director on: 07786 523493
Nestlé and Food Safety: discrepancy between the company’s public statements and actual practices
16 May, 2012 - 17:35 — Patti
Link to Swiss TV bulletin 15th May 2012
Reuters Food Fight
see our press release on this worrying news.
http://info.babymilkaction.org/pressrelease/pressrelease23apr12
Jack Ashley presents a petition to Sir George Young 1981
Here are some links to a brand new video “All about IBFAN” on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjrI2TTHWpk&feature=youtu.be
MEPs call for stricter marketing and safety controls
19 March, 2012 - 11:37 — Patti
Click here to download IBFAN's briefing on FTSE4Good as at 9 March 2012.
Click here to download the annexes as a zip file.
Also see Baby Milk Action's earlier briefing.
Presentations from European Platform meeting in Brussels
WHO Executive Board Meeting January 2012
8 February, 2012 - 09:16 — Patti
Conflict of Interest Coalition Statement of concern on lack of clarity on role of industry
NEW PDF: ENGLISH TEXT
Click here for the press release following this meeting:
http://info.babymilkaction.org/pressrelease/pressrelease24nov110
Day 1 - Saturday 12 November
I am attending the Codex meeting in Bad Soden, Frankfurt this week, wearing the IACFO hat, along with IBFAN colleagues from Swaziland, Canada and Luxembourg. See below for our comments on the agenda items.
Urgent call - help improve the safety of ingredients. Call for pre-authorisation
30 September, 2011 - 14:20 — Patti
Urgent call for pre-authorisation of baby food ingredients
IBFAN Comments on UN Political Declaration on Non-communicable Diseases
Article in La Liberté and Le Courier about out the Nestle Shareholder meetings - 29.7.11 - in French
IBFAN Comments
14 July, 2011 - 20:16 — Patti
Voluntary controls fail to reduce harmful advertising
Call for endorsement of IBFAN’s comments on Children's Rights and Business Principles Initiative (CRBPI)
5 July, 2011 - 16:29 — Patti
Please send an email by 14th July to: prundall@babymilkaction.org if your organisation can endorse these comments which will be submitted before the consultation deadline: 15th July.
Statement delivered by Lida Lhotska, IBFAN European Coordinator
WHA 64: Consumers International/IBFAN statement on Infant and Young Child Nutrition.
24 May, 2011 - 17:06 — Patti
See this awful paper from the Scottish Government, Principles for food companies working with schools in Scotland which seems to contain absolutely no principles:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/351908/0118141.pdf
Kinder Chocolate promotion in the EU parliament
Campaigning to stop the DHA claim at the EU Parliament
7 April, 2011 - 22:25 — Patti
"a butterfly flapping it's wings in one area of the world, can cause a tornado in another part of the world"
Here is a really important development
Please see all the links to the relevant papers here:
http://info.babymilkaction.org/news/policyblog/dhabriefing
The whole Resolution is attached. The key paragraphs (J-S and 1-3) are on pages 4 and 5:
Abbott pays bloggers for positive reviews of its Similac Iphone app
24 February, 2011 - 22:52 — Patti
Similac Iphone app
Indian Alliance Against Conflict of Interest writes to Minister about Nestlé.
6 February, 2011 - 09:08 — Patti
Cerelac in India Feb 2011"The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that you've got it made" Jean Giraudoux (1882-1944).
Consumers International/IBFAN speeches at the WHO Executive Board Meeting, Geneva. January 2011, WHO Geneva
The debate about the value of the BMJ comment piece rages on, with misleading stories and headlines falsely implying that breastfeeding is a risk to health and that the UK guidance is a rigid dictate to mothers forbidding any food other than breastmilk until the clock strikes midnight at the end of the 6th month. Since some of the media are also questioning whether the links between the authors and the baby food industry are relevant, I thought it might be helpful to explain our concerns about the paper, its timing and the authors' knowledge of the risks of media reporting.
BFLG response to Consultation on Bisphenol A in feeding bottles
14 January, 2011 - 15:24 — Patti
Consultation on Bisphenol A: The Plastic Materials and Articles in Contact with Food (Eng)
see also new Policy Blog: http://info.babymilkaction.org/node/326
The BBC, the Guardian, The Times, The Sun and other media are carrying stories - about a comment piece from four authors published in the British Medical Journal today challenging World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation that breastfeeding is exclusive for 6 months (no other foods or drinks introduced). The media coverage implies that the challenge is based on new evidence. In fact this is not a new scientific study nor a systematic review, but the authors review of selected past research, published in the 'Analysis' section of the BMJ.
New Zealand ASA upholds complaint against Wyeth for S26 Lutien eye claim
6 December, 2010 - 22:30 — Patti
Two magazine advertisements published in Littles were both very similar and featured the headline piece which read:
EU to decide on DHA claims
29 November, 2010 - 13:40 — Patti
STOP PRESS: The EU Committee that met on the 6th December APPROVED the claim that DHA improves eyesight for use on follow-on milks and baby foods, Members of the European Parliament and the European Council now have 3 months to comment.
Please contact your local MEP and asked them to stop this claim being approved.
EU deadline for DHA, ALA and ARA claims
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) continues to plough through the hundreds of dossiers supplied by food companies who wish to make claims on foods (see UDs 41 & 42). We focus on children’s food and formula claims which fall under Article 14 of the European Nutrition and Health Claims Regulations (1924/2006).
Baby Milk Action response to Department of Health Questions regarding commercial involvement in Start 4 Life October 2010
What would your criteria be for supporting the inclusion of an organisation as a Start4Life partner?
In addition to the submission made on behalf of the Baby Feeding Law Group and the Breastfeeding Manifesto Coalition Baby Milk Action would like to make some additional comments regarding the consultation about Private Sector involvement with Start for Life.
The questions posed need to be rephrased. Baby Milk Action is not comfortable with being seen as supporting partnership with any for-profit company on any government health education scheme, especially on Start4Life. Our position has, from the start, been that the involvement of commercial companies in education schemes risks undue commercial influence of the messages being conveyed, increasing the likelihood that parents receive conflicting messages which are known to undermine the DH public health line. We cannot stress enough the importance of all governments taking seriously their responsibilities and obligations under the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Nutrition to provide truly objective, evidence-based information and support to parents.
Arch Dis Child published online July 26, 2010 J S Forsyth
http://adc.bmj.com/content/early/2010/06/22/adc.2010.187294.full
International code of marketing of breast-milkand international governance --three decades later time for hostilities to be replaced by effective national substitutes
An article in the Archive of Diseases in Childhood by Prof Stewart Forsyth (who declares long-standing collaboration with the formula companies) portrays a harmful message about Baby Milk Action and other groups monitoring and campaigning to stop the harmful marketing of baby foods. Below are some comments about the article and the media coverage it is generating:
Baby Milk Action response to the Department of Children Schools and Families consultation: Assessing the Impact of the Commercial World on Children's Wellbeing - A Call for Evidence July 2008
The Baby Feeding Law Group representing 24 leading health professional and lay organisations in the UK, including the Royal Colleges of Paediatrics, Nursing and Midwifery, has written to the US company Mead Johnson about its irresponsible promotion of Alactagrow in the Philippines.
One aspect of the new Education Minister, Michael Gove's policy that hasn't been questioned is what he means when he will check whether parents who want to set up new schools have a "dark agenda."
Good that he promises not to allow extremist religious groups,' fake theories' and 'bogus science' - but what about the corporate agenda?
What happened when Nestlé was reported for violating the UN Global Compact and OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises?
The UN Global Compact and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises seek to improve compliance of businesses with human rights norms and other international standards. A coalition of organisations registered complaints in June 2009 regarding Nestlé S.A. to the Global Compact Office and the Swiss National Contact Point (NCP) for the OECD Guidelines. Both stressed they are responsible for voluntary initiatives and that they are only prepared to promote 'dialogue'. Although the UN Global Compact Office has powers to exclude companies, it stated: "Of course, abuses of the 10 Principles do occur; however we believe that such abuses only indicate that it is important for the company to remain in the Compact and learn from its mistakes." It is suggested that this international regulatory framework is both ineffective at holding corporations to account and is misused for public relations purposes. Alternatives are proposed.
US bans DHA and ARA in organic formulas
By Kimberly Kindy Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, April 28, 2010
The Obama administration announced Tuesday that two synthetic additives will no longer be permitted in infant formula or baby foods certified as organic because the widely used ingredients have not received legal approval for use in organic products The additives -- omega-3 fatty acid DHA and omega-6 fatty acid ARA -- are present in 90 percent of organic infant formulas and are marketed as promoting brain and eye development in ways that mimic breast milk. The Washington Post reported last July that U.S. Department of Agriculture employees had concluded three years earlier that the fatty acids violated federal standards and should be banned from products carrying the federal organic label. Their findings were overruled by a USDA program manager who had been heavily lobbied by the formula industry.
Below is my intervention at Nestlé's Shareholder meeting in April 2010 in Lausanne. I challenged the company about its failure to abide by marketing standards adopted by the World Health Assembly and about it health claims strategy which tells mothers in 120 countries that its baby milk will 'protect' their babies. At this AGM we were joined by Greenpeace activists who cut through the ceiling to challenge Nestle about its exploitation of palm oil.
In response to Greenpeace, Peter Brabeck, Nestlé's Chair and CEO said: 'Tying corporations up in regulatory straightjackets is unnecessary when companies such as Nestlé already have sound principles and core values.’
PDF of this briefing
Breastfeeding provides an ideal window of opportunity for obesity prevention and may help in the development of taste receptors and appetite control.
The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considered that there are two potential, cost-effective interventions that can be put into place immediately to deal with the childhood obesity epidemic: decreased television viewing and breastfeeding promotion.
“Artificially fed infants consume 30,000 more calories than breastfed infants by 8 months of age” (equivalent to 120 chocolate bars - 4 a week). Student Study Guide for Breastfeeding and Human Lactation KG Auerbach, J Riordan - 1993
As pressure builds to stop junk food advertising to children, many companies are focussing attention on nutrition and health education in an attempt to re-establish themselves as producers of healthy food. By building public trust in this image they can divert attention from the continued aggressive marketing of unhealthy foods. The education materials and facilities that are produced as a result present an even more complex problem than straightforward advertising because they blur the boundaries between advertising, marketing and education.
Although individual employees often have philanthropic motives, corporations themselves have a fiduciary duty to their shareholders to maximise profits, so the deal will be done with multiple motives:
For example, companies will hope to:
involve potential critics in partnerships and so discourage them from speaking out;
discourage open debate about sponsors
undermine the independence of monitoring schemes;
use education facilities as a channel for commercial propaganda which undermines public health messages;
project a healthy, responsible corporate image and so gain the trust of children, parents and teachers;
distort the curriculum in favour of business interests - promoting a self regulation and partnership approach to marketing rather than regulation;
use the ‘halo’ effect as evidence of Corporate Social Responsibility
divert attention from/‘engineer consent’ for actions which are anti-social and which harm sustainable development, the environment and human survival.
Government panel says there need to be 'steps taken' to address problems in enforcing baby milk marketing law. Campaigners welcome recommendation and call for UK law to be brought into line with international standards http://info.babymilkaction.org/pressrelease/pressrelease11mar10a
Improving Child Nutrition Programs Will Help More Children Succeed, Witnesses Tell House Committee
http://edlabor.house.gov/newsroom/2010/03/improving-child-nutrition-prog.shtml
the conflicts of interest in the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the impact this may have on the report of the working group on complementary feeding
concerns about the EFSA decisions on health claims on formulas and baby foods.
taxes on junk food.
to see the video follow this link and choose Q&A
Overview of evidence on health inequalities and their social determinants
Preventing obesity: whole system approaches
Consultation on the Draft Scope February 2010
Breastfeeding is best for babies. All parents should know this. Breastfed babies have less risk of short and long-term illness. There are also health benefits for mothers who breastfeed.But if you have decided to use formula, for whatever reason, how do you decide which formula to use? Where do you find the information you need?
In this 4-part film, lasting less than 30 minutes, you can listen to Baby Milk Action's Campaigns and Networking Coordinator, Mike Brady, provide answers to these and other questions.
Part 1 is given above (if you cannot see the player, check you have Adobe Flashplayer installed). This covers: Department of Health on formula; composition of formula; claims that are companies can make about formula.
You will have to register to watch the following parts of the film (there is no charge to do so).
Part 2: The development of formula; putting risk in perspective; changes to formula composition; LCPs.
Part 3: Oligosaccharides ('Prebiotics'); how to choose between formulas; follow-on formula and Goodnight milks.
Part 4: Guidance on mixing up powdered formula to reduce risks.
If you have already registered and are logged in, click here for part 2.
To log in, click here. To register, click here. This will open a new window. Return to this window to continue using the above link.
2010 Update The safety of the ingredients - the US experience: