Need stats on formula industry

[happilyloved]

I am taking a class on Professional Ethics this semester and I have to write an 8-12 page paper about an ethical issue in my workplace. Since I am not employed, I am doing something related to my current job as mother (and milk machine to my 2 year old). I am writing about the ethics of marketing infant formula. I have no probem arguing the ethics of it, but I keep getting hung up on stats. Does anyone know if the stats are compiled somewhere handy - risks of diseases (exact numbers and studies), annual revenues, annual medical costs, etc.?

Thanks!
Ann

[MamaBear1976]

Originally Posted by happilyloved

I am taking a class on Professional Ethics this semester and I have to write an 8-12 page paper about an ethical issue in my workplace. Since I am not employed, I am doing something related to my current job as mother (and milk machine to my 2 year old). I am writing about the ethics of marketing infant formula. I have no probem arguing the ethics of it, but I keep getting hung up on stats. Does anyone know if the stats are compiled somewhere handy - risks of diseases (exact numbers and studies), annual revenues, annual medical costs, etc.?

Thanks!
Ann

Kellymom.com is a good resource with a lot of statistics on just about whatever you can think of regarding lactation. It's an excellent place to start, and she provides so many links that you're bound to find other sources for what you're looking for there, too.

[Turkish Kate]

The World Health Organization also has some stats. I'd help you out by looking for specifics, but have a busy baby on my lap!

[jeanine123]

Hi Ann!!! Would you be able to get a hold of a copy of "Milk, Money and Madness"? I haven't read it personally but it seems like it would have a lot of the info in it you need. Also, here's a PDF from LLL on the outcomes of BFing vs FFing. And here's one on formula and infant deaths. Hope these help!!

[luvmy2girls]

I had to do a small project for my Nutrition class and was amazed when I fouond that formula actually does NOT meet a 16 lb infants' needs for protein, carbohydrates, iron...there was more I can't remember. I simply took the calories an infant needs (45 cal/pound) and randomly picked 16 lbs. Then, I went to a formula website and they print their daily nutritional values/label. I got my info from my textbook, called Understanding Nutrition.

The websites PPs have mentioned should be great, and maybe the American Academy of Pediatrics, too.

[lacysmommy]

One thing that formula companies do that I think is unethical is give major rebates to WIC (in the area of 95% for each can, making a $20 can of formula cost WIC just $1), which results in higher prices of formula for everyone else (the freebies do this too, but I think to a lesser extent since there is way more WIC formula than free givaway formula). While it does state in bid documents that the cost of formula mustn't be inflated because of the rebates, there isn't really a way to police this and make sure that doesn't happen. Considering about half of the formula fed babies in the US are on WIC, the bulk of the formula industry's profits are from those who pay full price for formula. Also, because so much of WIC's funding is dependent on formula rebates, in many offices WIC will seem to push formula much more than breastfeeding (though it is not true in all offices).

Here's the link for one of the WIC contracts. Whenever this subject came up in the past I would never directly link to it because I was employed by the state agency that produced that contract, but I quit my job in May so I'm not worried about getting in trouble anymore! It is public information after all.

[MamaBear1976]

Originally Posted by lacysmommy

One thing that formula companies do that I think is unethical is give major rebates to WIC (in the area of 95% for each can, making a $20 can of formula cost WIC just $1), which results in higher prices of formula for everyone else (the freebies do this too, but I think to a lesser extent since there is way more WIC formula than free givaway formula). While it does state in bid documents that the cost of formula mustn't be inflated because of the rebates, there isn't really a way to police this and make sure that doesn't happen. Considering about half of the formula fed babies in the US are on WIC, the bulk of the formula industry's profits are from those who pay full price for formula. Also, because so much of WIC's funding is dependent on formula rebates, in many offices WIC will seem to push formula much more than breastfeeding (though it is not true in all offices).

Here's the link for one of the WIC contracts. Whenever this subject came up in the past I would never directly link to it because I was employed by the state agency that produced that contract, but I quit my job in May so I'm not worried about getting in trouble anymore! It is public information after all.

Wow!! Juicy link and commentary! Thanks for that.

[MaryJaneLouise]

Carolyn, you are absolutely right. Here's a link to a very interesting article "The high price of formula."

http://www2.hawaii.edu/~kent/The%20H...20the%20US.pdf

another very interesting article by the same author:

http://www.internationalbreastfeedin.../content/1/1/8

[mb05]

Originally Posted by jeanine123

Hi Ann!!! Would you be able to get a hold of a copy of "Milk, Money and Madness"? I haven't read it personally but it seems like it would have a lot of the info in it you need. Also, here's a PDF from LLL on the outcomes of BFing vs FFing. And here's one on formula and infant deaths. Hope these help!!

This is an AWESOME study! Lots of great info!