Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Health oranisations call for the UK Government to implement formula marketing standards

UK health organisations have had a letter published in The Times today calling for the Government to implement the World Health Assembly marketing requirements for baby foods.

It is a broad coalition, including Baby Milk Action (which is the secretariat for the Baby Feeding Law Group), the Breastfeeding Manifesto Coalition and individual members of these coalitions: Midwives Information & Resource Services, National Childbirth Trust, Save the Children and Unicef UK and the Mother and Infant Research Unit, University of York.

We are calling for the Government to implement the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (which should be read together with the subsequent, relevant Resolutions of the Assembly which address changes in scientific knowledge and marketing practices and questions of interpretation).

This includes a ban on advertising and other forms of promotion of breastmilk substitutes. It is for health workers to provide accurate and independent information to parents and carers.

It also includes the right to accurate and independent information on use of formula for parents and carers who use it.

The consultation period comes to an end on Friday. See:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/action/ukaction07.html

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