International Code for Marketing Breastmilk Substitutes

I have never heard of this until today- but there is a code set up by the World Health Organization that specifies marketing limitations and regulations for any breast milk substitutes. All formula companies sign this agreement- but it is not regulated nor enforced here in the US. A summary of the code:

Summary: International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes

Full text available from www.ibfan.org/English/resource/who/fullcode.html

The Code aims to protect and promote breastfeeding by ensuring appropriate marketing and distribution of breastmilk substitutes.

The Code applies to breastmilk substitutes, when marketed or otherwise represented as a partial or total replacement for breastmilk. These breastmilk substitutes can include food and beverages such as:
• infant formula    • other milk products    • cereals for infants • vegetable mixes    • baby teas and juices    • follow-up milks.


The Code also applies to feeding bottles and teats. Some countries have expanded the scope of the Code to include foods or liquids used as breastmilk substitutes and pacifiers.

• No advertising of above products to the public. No free samples to mothers, their families or health workers.
• 
  No promotion of products, i.e. no product displays, posters or distribution of promotional materials. No use of mothercraft nurses or similar company-paid personnel.
• 
  No gifts or samples to health workers. Product information must be factual and scientific. No free or low-cost supplies of breastmilk substitutes to any part of the health care system.
• 
  Information and educational materials must explain the benefits of breastfeeding, the health hazards associated with bottle feeding, and the costs of using infant formula.
• 
  Product labels must clearly state the superiority of breastfeeding, the need for the advice of a health worker and a warning about health hazards. 

• No pictures of infants, or other pictures or text idealising the use of infant formula.
• 
  Unsuitable products, such as sweetened condensed milk, should not be promoted for babies. All products should be of a high quality (Codex Alimentarius standards), have expiration dates, and take account of the climatic and storage conditions of the country where they are used.

Courtesy: International Code Documentation Centre/IBFAN Penang, PO Box 19, 10700, Penang, Malaysia. Full text available from www.ibfan.org/English/resource/who/fullcode.html



The full WHO document can be viewed online here


So what do you think? I personally have no issue with marketing of substitutes as long as the companies are being honest about all ingredients. I do not like how many free samples are given to pregnant and new Moms, and I do not like that through government programs such as WIC, you can obtain free formula because the system can be and is abused. It is my opinion that free samples make it very easy to fall back on formula feeding when breastfeeding gets tough (and it usually is for a few months!). If you know you did not have a fall back option- I think most women would push through the hard times and would see that given a bit of time- breastfeeding can be wonderful and easy.

HOWEVER- I do not agree with beating up any mother who chooses formula or needs formula for their child. It is not okay to make any mother feel badly about her choices. Everyone of us just does our best- and being a mom is the hardest job ever!

I just thought it was very interesting that this code has been agreed upon by the formula companies, and yet everything on this list is done here in the US against the very code they signed...

Let me know what you think about the topic!