Alberta Medical Association urges members to support International Code

he Alberta Medical Association (AMA) issued a briefing¹ earlier this year to all regional Chiefs of Staff expressing its concern of reports of infant formula companies violating the "spirit and intent of the International Code." The AMA, in its quest to promote optimal nutrition for infants, urges health care institutions and organizations to not:

• share information, directly or indirectly, about patients' identities with formula manufacturers;
• accept donations of formula; or
• accept funds or equipment that are linked in anyway to the use of formula.

Citing the article by Cunningham and the Jeliffes, Breast-feeding and health in the 1980s: A global epidemiological review, the AMA states "encouraging breastfeeding has to be a high priority since breastmilk is the ideal food."

References

1. Burgess, E.D., Young, W.R. Re: Breastfeeding vs Breastmilk Substitutes, AMA letter April 17, 1996. to all regional CEOs. Back

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