PHM-Exch> WHO breastfeeding recommendations under attack from industry-funded scientists

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Patti Rundall <prundall at babymilkaction.org>



*WHO breastfeeding recommendations under attack from industry-funded
scientists*

The BBC,  the Guardian and  other media are carrying stories about a new
paper which was published in the British Medical Journal today.  The four
authors of the paper are challenging the WHO recommendation of exclusive
breastfeeding until 6 months of age. The authors do not challenge the
recommendation to continue breastfeeding alongside complementary feeding.
However, some news reports are simplistically suggesting that the value of
'breastfeeding for 6 months' is being questioned. Three of the four authors
of this study have received funding from the baby food  industry.

Baby Milk Action has analysed the recommendations made by the four authors
and linked to sources of information on its website, including the research
(a review of 3,000 studies) that led to the WHO recommendations on
breastfeeding. See:

http://info.babymilkaction.org/news/policyblog140111

WHO has responded to the controversy created by the four authors with the
paper in the BMJ by pointing out: "WHO closely follows new research findings
in this area and has a process for periodically re-examining
recommendations. Systematic reviews accompanied by an assessment of the
quality of evidence are used to review guidelines in a process that is
designed to ensure that the recommendations are based on the best available
evidence and free from conflicts of interest.

"The paper in this week's BMJ is not the result of a systematic review. The
latest systematic review on this issue available in the Cochrane Library was
published in 2009."

The review found that: "Exclusive breastfeeding for six months (versus three
or four months) reduces gastrointestinal infection, does not impair growth,
and helps the mother lose weight."

For further information see:

http://info.babymilkaction.org/news/policyblog140111

Baby Milk Action is interested to receive reports on how this story is
reported around the world. So please post links and information as comments
to the blog.

Other experts have raised issues relating to exclusive breastfeeding for 6
months and obesity and swine flu.
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