Baby formula on prescription only? - Page 3

[Momma Aimee]

Quote:
Originally Posted by alegna
You know what *I* think the first step is? I think the US has to grow some backbone, stand up to big business, and follow the WHO code.

but that's just me....

-Angela

Amen, Sister!

ITA

[Sandstress]

I really don't see who that would help, except actually the formula companies themselves. I can't imagine that the price would go *down* after being made Rx only.

I'm thinking of other things I use that should be OTC and I end up having a really hard time getting. I have to skip months of BC pills every now and then because I haven't had time to go get a PAP. Hell, I can't even get cold medicine in my state without talking to someone behind the counter.

As a WOH, EPer, lowish supply mom to a former preemie, infant nutrition is something I really don't screw around with. You can be sure I have a can of enfamil in my cupboard. I'm thinking of those first few weeks home from the NICU, and between pumping, feeding, trying to nurse, and all the followup dr. appointments, I would have had to have added ONE MORE appointment to go and get the formula Rx.

As I said- it's not going to help anyone.

[Decca]

do they really send free formula to every preggo in the us?

NO, they don't. I'm sure this post will be followed by many disagreeing with me, but in my experience, my name was on all kinds of mailing lists - Pampers, Babies R Us, Motherhood Maternity, a subscription to Parenting Magazine - and I never got formula of any kind, no cases, no cans, heck, not even any coupons in the mail. I got the black diaper bag in the hospital with the tiny can of formula in it, and that was it.

[Mrs.CEH3]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

I think most people here would agree with you. Of course they shouldn't be giving it away for free! But if it's by prescription only, and a woman has insurance that will cover it completely, and a doctor is willing to prescribe it, it's basically free to her anyway. And sanctioned by her doctor.

The assumption here is a) the mother has insurance and b) access to regular medical care.

The Center for Disease Control in 2004 studied rates of bfing according to SES. 50% of African-American are breastfed, and that number falls by the time the child is 6 months old. The lower the child is on the SES scale, the less likely the child is being breastfed. Similarly, the lower the child is on the SES scale, the less likely the child is covered by health insurance and receives regular medical care. The CDC study also notes significant biases within the SE group in question against BFing.

Do you honestly believe that restricting access to formula is going to force these mothers to breastfeed? In my estimation, they are more likely to turn to ever more detrimental methods of feeding their babies before they try to breastfeed.

Therefore, a policy of prescription-only access to formula deprives the.most.vulnerable members of our society of nourishment.

Is that really the intent? Do you have any idea how racist a policy that would be?

[annettemarie]

Originally Posted by Mrs.CEH3

The assumption here is a) the mother has insurance and b) access to regular medical care.

The Center for Disease Control in 2004 studied rates of bfing according to SES. 50% of African-American are breastfed, and that number falls by the time the child is 6 months old. The lower the child is on the SES scale, the less likely the child is being breastfed. Similarly, the lower the child is on the SES scale, the less likely the child is covered by health insurance and receives regular medical care. The CDC study also notes significant biases within the SE group in question against BFing.

Do you honestly believe that restricting access to formula is going to force these mothers to breastfeed? In my estimation, they are more likely to turn to ever more detrimental methods of feeding their babies before they try to breastfeed.

Therefore, a policy of prescription-only access to formula deprives the.most.vulnerable members of our society of nourishment.

Is that really the intent? Do you have any idea how racist a policy that would be?

You must have missed my post where I agree with you and said it would not be a good idea. Thus why I put so many "IF's" in this post--to show how dicey a proposition it would be. I'm a huge advocate of anti-racist and anti-bias living. Of course I know how horrible it would be.

[annettemarie]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

I used to think this was a good idea. On the surface, it seems like the perfect solution. Once you really stop to think about it, though, I think it's fairly easy to see that huge numbers of women and babies would suffer because of it. The formula companies would get richer, doctors would get even more kickbacks and benefits for finding reasons to prescribe it, and I think the end effect would be that formula feeding and not breastfeeding would be what ended up being normalized, because everyone who used it would have a doctor's seal of approval.

Maybe, someday, in a ideal world, when every mother knows the truth about breastmilk and formula, and every woman is supported in her decision to breastfeed, and formula companies' power has been reigned in and under control, maybe then it might work. But now? It would be a recipe for disaster. Why not be proactive in promoting breastfeeding instead? Become a peer counselor, a LLL leader, a milk donor. That will truly help to promote breastfeeding.

My first post, for Mrs.CEH3.

[Mrs.CEH3]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

My first post, for Mrs.CEH3.

dude, chill. You as in you plural, you the people reading the thread. No attack meant.

[annettemarie]

Originally Posted by Mrs.CEH3

dude, chill. You as in you plural, you the people reading the thread. No attack meant.

None was meant on my side either. I only thought that you hadn't seen my first post, judging from your remarks that seemed to completely mischaracterize what I was saying. I would be happy to discuss it via PM if you feel the need to further explore it.

[talk de jour]

Originally Posted by the_lissa

Well I don't agree. Doctors know squat about bf and will give out ff rx to anyone who wants one.

I think support and education is key, not restriction.

:

[Mrs.CEH3]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

None was meant on my side either. I only thought that you hadn't seen my first post, judging from your remarks that seemed to completely mischaracterize what I was saying. I would be happy to discuss it via PM if you feel the need to further explore it.

I realize that, and there is no need to PM.

Again, addressing that discrete comment, and addressing the thread as a whole. Hope this clarifies it for you.

[lotusbeans]

While I wish I'd had an rx for dd's formula because it was super expensive, I don't think this is such a great idea. It's more important to educate moms and then trust them to make their own choices.

Also - what if something happens to mom and there's an emergency? The baby needs to be fed and you'd have to get to a doc and get the rx and then get to a drugstore and then get the formula.

[jaidymama]

I think this was debated a month or so ago.... let me see if I can find it

Yeah!!! I found it... I'm adding this discussion link because I think some meaningful discussion went on here...
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...iption+formula

Cheers!

[DWAXSMOM]

I have been mulling this topic for the past week. I would be in favor of RX for formula becuse it would make the MDs accountable for negative consequences from formula. They would be more likely to educate women about the side effects because now it is them making the desicion along with the Mom instead of all of the responsibility being on the Mom. Low income families could get formula from the same place most get it now-WIC or other state funded programs. Don't fool yourself-people can get a prescription called in to a pharmacy 24 hours a day. They can order months worth of prescriptions through the mail. MDs already get perks from formula reps. This would be no different if they were prescribing. Also, maybe, just maybe, new Moms would start to view formula as it is-a substitute for breastmilk that can have dangerous side effects. Sadly, I think the majority of people in our society think that formula is a benign substance. I don't think that RX for formula means restriction. I think it means that it would be like any other prescription-controlled. Maybe then we could start moving in the direction towards true education regarding formula.

[prettypixels]

Originally Posted by ApprenticeMomma

I personally think this would be a great thing.

It would show a clear path to anyone who was having problems, and if they approached their GP about it, hopefully they would be given an immense amount of support to try to overcome their bf problems, and be given a formula prescription only if they were truly in need of it.

It would make the cost of formula a lot more affordable for moms.

It would help to persuade governments that genuine accessible lactation advice/support/ would be very worthwhile

It would send a clear picture that Breast is best, without having to spend millions on advertising.

It may pick up many moms who would otherwise slip through the cracks with a myriad of post partum problems.

What do you think?

I'm very interested to hear everyones take on this!

I have never really thought this was a good idea, but even less so now that I'm dealing with supply issues and needing to supplement with formula. I'm trying to picture what someone would do if they ran out in the middle of the night, or over a weekend, or when their doc was on vacation, or... what should you do, let your baby starve?

I hate having to supplement, but I'm grateful formula exists for my hungry girl! And I'm glad I didn't need a prescription for it... like in the midst of this I need one more thing to be a hassle and make me feel bad... like the SNS and pumping aren't hassle enough!!!

[G8P4]

I think it's a good idea. Maybe not in the US where access to healthcare isn't as good as in other countries, but in principle, I can see how this idea has merit for all the reasons Apprenticemomma gave.
In Gabrielle Palmer's book, The Politics of Breastfeeding, I read something that blew me away....which was (paraphrasing here) "there's enough human milk in all the world to feed all human babies"...so wouldn't it be great if there were more milk banks? There would still be some babies needing formula, but these would clearly be in a very special category of complex medical condtitions. Women who can't provide their own breast milk for their babies shouldn't be penalized for it. I guess I don't see the prescription as a penalty. It shouldn't be seen as that in an ideal world.

[CalebsMama05]

Originally Posted by beckyand3littlemonsters

I also think this would be a good idea, at the moment people on benefits can get free formula which i think makes them less likely to bf cos a lot of people just say well its free so might as well use it : imo formula should be prescription only for those who truely need it, there should also be a hell of a lot more support for breastfeeding mums

I am on wic. I have the option to recieve "free" formula. but saying that if people can recieve "free" formula through *benefits* they WILL is slightly offensive.

and prescription drugs are overused already...why would formula be any different? it wouldn't.

[kijip]

Originally Posted by DWAXSMOM

Don't fool yourself-people can get a prescription called in to a pharmacy 24 hours a day. They can order months worth of prescriptions through the mail.

Yes, people can call in prescriptions 24hrs a day, but only people with:

-Phones
-Insurance
-Regular connection with a doctor or clinic
-Medical practices that have a person on-call 24 hours
-Transportation to the pharmacy
-Money to pay for the co-pay (if they have insurance).
-live in a community with a 24 hour pharmacy. Not everyone lives in the burbs or city.

It think this proposal comes from a place of relative privelege in society. I would be fine if I needed formula and it was 2 AM and available by prescription only. Many women would have many barriers in place.

Further, making drugs available OTC lessens the cost, not increases it. I think formula by prescription only would actually increase the cost per ounce. Remember that being covered by insurance does not make something free. We pay for it through taxes or higher premiums or less health benefits in the end. This would have the unintended consequence of raising the overall cost of healthcare.

That said, I would support a ban on free samples to women that are otherwise able to breastfeed, maternity leave laws and considerable funding for professional pumps and home LC visits for low income women that are either not insured or on Medicaid or state insurance. Want more people to breastfeed longer? Remove the barriers to being sucessful at breastfeeding.