PHA-Exch> IBFAN Press statement China Babies and milk formula

[Claudio Schuftan]

>    From:    ibfanpg at tm.net.my



>
> We need to reach far beyond the actual consumers of baby milks. This is a
> case of Globalised Contamination.
>
> The hue and cry around  the Sanlu baby milk tragedy in China is focusing
> very narrowly on the quality of the milk produced by one Chinese
> company.  This detracts from the fact that formula feeding regardless of
> brand and origin has inherent risks.  What is also being overlooked is
> the large number of babies dependent on formula feeding at an age when
> breastfeeding should be the norm.  The fact that aggressive marketing
>  may be one key factor that is tilting the balance against breastfeeding
> is also not being addressed.
>
> You can get an ad-hoc ICDC's press statement on this matter from IBFAN
> directly.
>
> China has had regulations that implement the International Code of
> Marketing of  Breastmilk Substitutes  since 1995.  The regulations are
> incomplete and have regrettably never been fully implemented or enforced
> despite ICDC's past and recent efforts.  Maybe this latest episode of
> babies
> dying and suffering as a result of formula feeding will get the Chinese
> authorities to sit up and give breastfeeding the support it deserves.
> They must act to protect their children. It is the least they can do.
> There will doubtlessly be more muck-ups with milks but the harm will be
> minimised if breastfeeding is made popular and routine.
>
> Until that time, foreign companies selling formula in China will be
> gloating over increased sales.
>
> For further information on actions to take:
> Annelies Allain   and   Yeong Joo Kean
> International Code Documentation Centre (ICDC)
> email: ibfanpg at tm.net.my
> website:www.ibfan.org
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://phm.phmovement.org/pipermail/phm-exchange-phmovement.org/attachments/20080920/aa1d614b/attachment-0001.html>