Are Corporations Sabotaging Child Health to Increase Profit? Misleading advertisements and an onslaught of promotional materials for infant formulas seem to plague the Philippines. Breastfeeding by Filipino mothers seems to be an outdated practice, almost extinct, and who's to blame?

It is scientifically proven, and agreed upon by all reliable medical professionals, that exclusively breastfeeding infants for the first six months, is vital to ensuring adequate developmental health. Breastfeeding, combined with complementary foods, for the first two years is also seen as paramount for the greatest development of a child. Although many debate around the world about the length of time that a child should be breastfeed, its is not widely disputed for the first six months of infancy.

The fight for breastfeeding over formula feeding in the Philippines has been raging on for decades, but earlier this year the debate increased, as the concern over infants health appears to becoming rather ominous. In July 2006, the Health Department of the Philippines placed a ban on the advertisement and promotion of breast-milk substitutes, the international companies responded with temporary restraining order on the policy's implementation and have made challenges in the name of free trade. In February 2007, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Jean Ziegler, claimed formula campaigns have manipulated data from the WHO and UNICEF, the campaigns have been done in part by the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP) and the Filipino Department of Health.

"The aggressive marketing practices by milk companies contribute to misleading the public by claiming that breastfeeding can not be done by a majority of women and that their products raise healthy, smart and happy babies."

The Philippine Milk Code and The International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes are both being violated by formula companies and healthcare providers. Promotions, incentive plans, promo-gift bags at hospitals, and free samples seem to be available almost everywhere, all of which are of which are part of the problem. A problem which seems to be acerbated by a lack of education on the facts and health benefits of breastfeeding, and the potential risks of using formula exclusively. Regardless of the law, there seems to be little enforcement of it, and advertising by companies heavily outweighs the efforts of awareness campaigns.

Expose on the Fight for for Breastfeeding in the Philippines

Part 1 of 5, please see the remaining videos at the bottom of this article.

The real issues for debate and worry in the Philippines, is not that women are choosing not to breastfeed due to health issues, or even time restraints, but that they are blatantly misinformed about the benefits of breastfeeding and lead to believe that their children will be physically stronger and more intelligent, should they use formula.

“…these ads have undermined the mothers' confidence in being able to provide their babies with the perfect food that is also a medicine, immunity booster, IQ enhancer, environment-friendly and most of all, free."(UNICEF on breastmilk substitutes: Filipino mothers are misled, national law is violated)

UNICEF estimates that 20% of infant deaths in the Philippines are related to bottle feeding, while the WHO estimates that 16,000 children under 5 die each year in the Philippines as they are not adequately feed. According to UNICEF formula feed babies in the first two months are 25% more likely to die from diarrhea, 4% pneumonia, have increased respiratory tract illnesses, which is the leading cause of death of children in the Philippines.

9 month old bottle feeding victim incites a march of health advocates on the Supreme Court, December 6, 2006

Formula can also become contaminated and lead to other preventable illnesses, as well asthma, allergies and other conditions which breastfeeding helps eliminate. Health benefits of breastfeeding include the decreased risk of: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome(SIDS), gastroenteritis, diarrhea, asthma, allergies, urinary tract infections, chest infection and wheezing,ear infection, obesity and diabetes.

The social and economic benefits of breastfeeding also outweigh formula feeding, as mothers have increased bonding with baby, their are a number of health benefits to the mothers, including birth control, and not to mention that it allows families to save much needed money. Woman are convinced to spend money they do not have to by formula for their children, and for a family on a limited budget, let alone living on the poverty line, breastfeeding cannot only increase the health of both mother and child, but it can also prevent a huge financial burden. Formula in the Philippines is expensive at around 4,000 pesos ($87.00) a month for one child, while the average monthly income is only 10,161 pesos ($225.37), the WHO estimates that Filipinos spend around $400,000 a year to formula-feed their infants.

While the debate rages on formula companies are finding their ways around the system, by promoting so-called ‘mothers milks’, which are being promoted to pregnant and lactating mothers. As with infant formulas, the products are everywhere, by mail, free samples, gift bags, etc., and while the promotion of such products is not breaking the rules of the Philippine Milk Code or the International Code of Breast Milk Substitutes, it is blatantly 'stretching the Rules’, and is highly unnecessary for mothers and the message is potentially harmful. Once again it appears the industry is preying on vulnerable mothers, leading them to believe that if they do not use these ‘mothers milks’, that they cannot effectively breastfeed babies.

It looks like the health of Filipino children continues to remain at high risk, as the corporate voice continues to outweigh that of health and reason. The best defense for the children of the Philippines is adequate education for mothers on the benefits of breastfeeding, and how they can effectively incorporate it into their daily lives, along with a true crack down on companies violating both the Philippine Milk Code and the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. Corporations need to take responsibility for the health of infants and children, including the death and illnesses that their misleading, and greedy campaigns have caused. We cannot allow consumers to be bullied into purchasing consumer products, especially when the lives of millions of innocent children's health and lives are at risk.
Please see my post, Infants Rights to Nutrition, from April 2, 2007, for more information on the issue of breast feeding.

Links:
The Philippine Milk Code: A Time Line
The International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes
International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN)
Brest Milk Action
Rehydration Project
Factors Predisposing Infants To Gastroenteritis Among Poor, Urban, Filipino Families
Boycott Nestlé - protect infants - Blog on UK Formula Boycots
Breastfeeding 123 - blog

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