HI,
Here is part of an e-mail I received this morning and thought this would be a good place to pass it on. I hope it works!
Sara
Subject: Drug Companies and Advertising
interesting pharmaceutical guidelines on drug advertising. All of these guidelines are voluntary and created by these companies to assure that they really do not need to change their effective advertising campaigns. Infant formula is classified and regulated by the FDA as a food, not a drug. The FDA does not control or monitor advertising for formula. Its jurisdiction is only over two sections on the back panel of the formula can - the list of ingredients and their values. The Federal Trade Commission regulates advertising of food through the FTC Act that describes the terms deceptive, false and misleading advertising. Infant formula ads are deceptive enough to cause a mother to purchase the product because she thinks her baby will be smarter - this is deceptive. False and misleading claims that formula-fed babies will enjoy the same health outcomes as breastfed ones are false and misleading.
I have registered complaints with the FTC regarding how infant formula is advertised. When I spoke with them they stated that only when hundreds of complaints are filed, either on line, by letter, or by telephone will they take a look at the issue. I have mentioned this before on Lactnet and have written this is the Executive Summary of NABA's publication Selling Out Mothers and Babies. If we want to make a difference we can inundate the FTC with complaints regarding formula advertising.
The complaint form is online at _www.ftc.gov_ (http://www.ftc.gov) . I think a massive complaint to the FTC regarding infant formula advertising would be a great way to cap off World Breastfeeding Week! As so many of you have been involved with nurse-ins how about write-ins to the FTC!
Marsha
Here is part of an e-mail I received this morning and thought this would be a good place to pass it on. I hope it works!
Sara
Subject: Drug Companies and Advertising
interesting pharmaceutical guidelines on drug advertising. All of these guidelines are voluntary and created by these companies to assure that they really do not need to change their effective advertising campaigns. Infant formula is classified and regulated by the FDA as a food, not a drug. The FDA does not control or monitor advertising for formula. Its jurisdiction is only over two sections on the back panel of the formula can - the list of ingredients and their values. The Federal Trade Commission regulates advertising of food through the FTC Act that describes the terms deceptive, false and misleading advertising. Infant formula ads are deceptive enough to cause a mother to purchase the product because she thinks her baby will be smarter - this is deceptive. False and misleading claims that formula-fed babies will enjoy the same health outcomes as breastfed ones are false and misleading.
I have registered complaints with the FTC regarding how infant formula is advertised. When I spoke with them they stated that only when hundreds of complaints are filed, either on line, by letter, or by telephone will they take a look at the issue. I have mentioned this before on Lactnet and have written this is the Executive Summary of NABA's publication Selling Out Mothers and Babies. If we want to make a difference we can inundate the FTC with complaints regarding formula advertising.
The complaint form is online at _www.ftc.gov_ (http://www.ftc.gov) . I think a massive complaint to the FTC regarding infant formula advertising would be a great way to cap off World Breastfeeding Week! As so many of you have been involved with nurse-ins how about write-ins to the FTC!
Marsha
