Mothering › Forums › Breastfeeding › Lactivism › Do OBs give out mother's info to formula companies?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Do OBs give out mother's info to formula companies?  

post #1 of 16
6/25/08 at 9:57pm
Thread Starter 
I keep getting formula checks, and samples in the mail. In fact, I got an entire full sized CAN of formula a month ago.

I have not signed up for anything at all!! No where!! I have refused to give any info out at all. I don't even give my phone number out to the shoe store!

Yesterday was my due date, and I got a package with a stack of formula checks, and info, and a big card that said "congratulations!! Your a MOM!!"

How the heck did they know I was pregnant let alone my due date?
The ONLY people who knew my actual due date was my DH, my OB, and my MW.

It's just weird. can OBs legally give out info? do they do that? (I started getting these advertisments before I met my MW, so I know it wasn't her)
I'm just really upset that they got my info, I have no idea how they did, but it pisses me off.
I am so sick of these formula samples and checks......it just makes me sad.
post #2 of 16
6/25/08 at 10:11pm
One time..my sign in sheet for my ob appointment included a space for my address. Apparently those sheets were from a formula company, and they gave them to the formula supplier when he came to hand them more "sample packs" So yes, your OB could totally have sold you out to the formula companies.
post #3 of 16
6/25/08 at 10:46pm
Uh, no they can't give your info without permission. That is a HIPAA violation.

You can request an accounting of who they gave your information to if you think they did.
post #4 of 16
6/25/08 at 11:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JessicaTX View Post
One time..my sign in sheet for my ob appointment included a space for my address. Apparently those sheets were from a formula company, and they gave them to the formula supplier when he came to hand them more "sample packs" So yes, your OB could totally have sold you out to the formula companies.
that is sickening.
post #5 of 16
6/25/08 at 11:42pm
Have you ever shopped at Motherhood Maternity? I think they have given my info to companies that own formula lines. :
post #6 of 16
6/26/08 at 12:23am
I don't give it out at motherhood, I tell them no. I did recieve a case of formula after my first ob visit with my son and a welcome bag with formula in it. Either the ob gave out my address or the hospital did when I preregistered.
post #7 of 16
6/26/08 at 3:39am
Ive been getting that junk too. Just today I received a full size can on Similac Advance... :/
post #8 of 16
6/26/08 at 3:58am
I've gotten that a few times. I called the 1-800 number and chewed them out.

"No, really, you don't understand. This is like sending a Jewish person a HAM for Hanukkah."
post #9 of 16
6/26/08 at 9:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Septagram View Post
"No, really, you don't understand. This is like sending a Jewish person a HAM for Hanukkah."


Do you really say this? That's AWESOME!
post #10 of 16
6/26/08 at 10:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by menomena View Post


Do you really say this? That's AWESOME!
Yes, I did.
post #11 of 16
6/26/08 at 11:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Septagram View Post
"No, really, you don't understand. This is like sending a Jewish person a HAM for Hanukkah."
That is an awesome, awesome, awesome line. I hope you don't mind if I borrow it!
post #12 of 16
6/26/08 at 12:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Septagram View Post
I've gotten that a few times. I called the 1-800 number and chewed them out.

"No, really, you don't understand. This is like sending a Jewish person a HAM for Hanukkah."
I Love love love love that line. I so must borrow it.
post #13 of 16
6/26/08 at 2:53pm
Wow, reading this makes me REALLY happy my OB I work for is so pro-breastfeeding. He told me once formula companies will call the office on average 100 time A DAY trying to pry their way into the office with so called bonuses for the practice. They don't really call our office anymore because they know the answer is NO and GO AWAY! His wife, also an OB, runs a LLL and would have a fit if any formula company were related to the practice.
post #14 of 16
6/26/08 at 3:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Septagram View Post
I've gotten that a few times. I called the 1-800 number and chewed them out.

"No, really, you don't understand. This is like sending a Jewish person a HAM for Hanukkah."
post #15 of 16
6/26/08 at 7:24pm
Thread Starter 
I did go to motherhodd maternity, and BRU, but I refused to give ANY info out to them, and I paid with cash.
I wonder if maybe one of the forms I filled out at the OBs office when I first registered was something they give to the formula reps. I mean, nobody else knew my address AND my due date. you know?
I figured it's GOT to be a HIPAA violation. Then again, when has breaking rules ever stopped formula companies?:
post #16 of 16
6/28/08 at 9:34pm
My info got to the formula companies via the photographer that the hospital sent (who took lousy pictures anyway). I chewed out the company that owns the photography business, the formula company (who told me it was I who had signed up for samples...oh no it was not!), and the hospital. No one cared. Big surprise. That's really rotten if it was your OB's office who gave out your info. When I called Enfamil to complain, and had to speak to a "nutritional consultant" I demanded to know where they had gotten my address from. They had to do a formal inquiry, in writing, but eventually I did get a letter and that's how I found out it was the photographer. You should definitely ask.
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Lactivism
This thread is locked  
Mothering › Forums › Breastfeeding › Lactivism › Do OBs give out mother's info to formula companies?