Need for protection of breastfeeding from commercial

influence Dr. Arun Gupta

Chair Global Council International Baby Food Action Network(IBFAN)

Central Coordinator Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI)

Optimal Infant and Young Child Feeding

• Initiation of breastfeeding within an hour of birth• Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months• Complementary feeding after six months• Continued breastfeeding for 2 years and beyond

Breastfeeding Saves LivesRisk

of Morta

lity

Enhancing factors Hindering factors

Emptying of breast

Frequent Suckling

Expression of milk

Night feeds

Bottle feeding,Incorrect positioning,

Painful breast

Sensory impulse from nipple

Prolactin in blood

Prolactin “milk secretion” reflex

The Oxytocin reflexWorks before or during feed to make milk flow

Pain Worry Stress Doubt

CONFIDENCE

1867: Nestle started the commercialisation of formula and has been the subject of a global boycott since 1977 Nestle advert from 1936.

Baby food market was built on‘Trust’

“In less developed countries, the best form of promoting baby food formulas may well be the clinics which the company sponsors”

Nestlé in Developing countries 1970

and dependency

Nestle AD 1915

Offering Free Sample

Nestle Advertisement 1920

A Mother’s Treasure!

SIMILAC AD – 1929Citing Scientific AUTHORITY

Nestle Ad 1940s - Lactogen is better than mother’s milk!

• Kwashiorkor• Lack of protein in the diet of

weanling when new baby arrives

Dr. Cicely Williams

Milk and Murder "Misguided propaganda on infant feeding should be punished as the most miserable form of sedition; these deaths should be regarded as murder.” (1939, SP Rotary Club)

Nestle in US Senate hearing with Senator Edward Kennedy (1978)

• International meeting on IYCF - UNICEF, WHO, Governments, NGOs, Corporations

• Called for development of an International Code of Marketing

• NGOs came together and formed IBFAN• Industry formed International Council of Infant

Food Industries (ICIFI) and gave a voluntary code – no prohibition of promotion

Global action leading to International Code

On 21 May 1981, the World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (the International Code) under Resolution no. 34.22, with 118 votes for, 1 against and 3 abstentions

IBFAN response to 5 questions

State of the Code by company & country

BPNI

IMS Act :Enacted

Year 1992

The Parliament passed a bill,

which was enacted on 29

Dec.r 1992 as the Infant Milk

Substitutes, Feeding Bottles

and Infant Foods (Regulation of

Production, Supply and Distribution)

Act, 1992 (IMS Act)

2003 Amendment Act : 2 yearsBPNI,ACASH, ICCW, CSWB notified in the gazette.

Misusing Health Care System

Poster of Mother with Chubby baby displayed in a Paediatric ClinicPoster of Mother with Chubby baby displayed in a Paediatric Clinic

Nestle Start Healthy and Stay Healthy

No Sponsoring and giving payments to Healthcare Workers and Their

Associations

Prohibits Providing Commission to Company Staff to Increase Sales

Consequences of aggressive marketing !

1. Children were more likely to be given formula if their mother exposed to advertising messages or suggested by doctor

2. Those using formula were 6.4 times more likely to stop breastfeeding before 12 months

Save the IMS Act

MN promotion createsnew markets

•Baffle with science•Trigger fears that foods lack essential nutrients•Build ‘trust’ through ‘history of safe use’•Extend the bottle feeding period

Sales of toddler milks, said to be an industry priority, because their promotion is less regulated, are predicted to grow by 31%.Euromonitor Internationalhttp://www.firststepsnutrition.org/children/eating-well_first-six-months.html

Better Late Than Never!

Indian Market Constrained by Regulatory Barriers

The huge disparity in the retail value of milk formula sales between China and India is mainly due to the significant differences between their official regulatory regimes.

Source: Euromonitor International

Nestle’s Milk Trick (Tehlka)

Section 21 (1) (b) of IMS ACT

• An officer not below the rank of a Class I officer authorised in this behalf, by general or special order, by the Government