Forty-Ninth World Health Assembly Resolutions Reinforce Important Code Fundamentals

ay 1996 marks another important step forward in the protection of breastfeeding.World Health Assembly 49.15 unanimously confirmed and reinforced important fundamentals of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes. Recognizing the need to address loop holes, the Assembly urged action on important issues surrounding commercial complementary foods, industry sponsorship and health care workers and the need to have Code monitoring be independent and transparent.

Marketing of complementary foods:

The inappropriate marketing of commercial complementary foods - cereals, jarred baby foods, biscuits, drinks, juices - includes labelling, promotional literature that is not factual and scientific, misinforming and idealizing of products. To ensure that, as the Assembly so aptly put it, "complementary foods are not marketed for or used in ways that undermine exclusive and sustained breast-feeding" commercial complimentary foods need:

• labels that clearly state age of introduction,
• labels that do not idealize the product - this would require the removal of the Gerber baby face,
• labels that have "Important Notice" stating Breastfeeding is the best way to feed infants and that this food should not be used as a breast-milk substitute,
• labels should have clear and easy to read preparation instructions in the language appropriate to where it is marketed,
• infant food industry representatives should have no contact with expectant or new mothers--no help-line telephone numbers should be on the labels.

The purchase of expensive imported products rather than traditional, home prepared foods presents a considerable nutrition problem in many countries. For example, the cost of vitamin-enriched maize meal in Swaziland is only Can $0.70/kg as compared to the nutritionally inferior Nestle product Cerelac sold at more than Can $12.00/kg.

No conflicting financial support for health professionals working in infant and young child health:

• no sponsorships of conferences,*
• no awards, gifts in kind or financial to buy the allegiance of health care workers,
• no bribes to hospitals in exchange for free formula supplies and sampling to new mothers,
• nor should there be endorsement by association.

Monitoring International Code and subsequent resolutions

The infant formula industry is responsible for monitoring its marketing practices according to the WHO Code, however, it may not finance "independent" Code monitoring.

• no industry financing to monitor International Code implementation,
• monitoring should be transparent and independent.

Delegate to the Assembly, Dr. Timothy Stamps, Minister of Health and Child Welfare for Zimbabwe noted that the companies, and Nestle in particular, inappropriately marketed their baby milks and products encouraging mothers to buy expensive, imported products rather than traditional foods. He also described how Nestle attempts to buy the allegiance of health workers with special awards and gifts.

Dr. Raj Anand, paediatrician from India and speaking on behalf of Consumers International, told the Assembly how doctors in India are, " ...starting to take a strong stand against accepting aid from the baby food industry. They are convinced that commercial sponsorships is not in the best interest of the children whose rights they are meant to protect."

*available from INFACT Canada: IBFAN Statement on Company Sponsorship of Conferences.

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