Deceptive' ads for infant formula appall UN expert.

[LytSlpr]

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Deceptive' ads for infant formula appall UN expert.
Associated Press

MANILA -- A UN expert has criticized milk companies and a Philippine pharmaceutical association for "deceptive and malicious" advertising practices aimed at selling infant formula in the Philippines.

Aggressive marketing practices by milk companies were misleading the public by claiming that breastfeeding cannot be done by a majority of women and that their products raise healthy, smart, and happy babies, Jean Ziegler, the UN food rights expert, said in a statement issued Tuesday.

Newspaper ads by the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines are "misleading, deceptive and malicious in intent," he said.

The statement issued by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva said the ads "manipulate data emanating from the UN specialized agencies, such as WHO and Unicef," as well as the Philippine health department, "with the sole purpose to protect the milk companies' huge profits, regardless of the best interest of Filipino mothers and children."

In 2003, the World Health Organization estimated that 16,000 children below 5 died in the Philippines due to improper feeding practices, including use of infant formula.

Today, only 16 percent of Filipino children between 4 and 5 months old are exclusively breast-fed while 13 percent of mothers do not breast-feed at all, believing they do not have enough milk, according to Unicef.

Last July, the Philippine health department introduced strict regulations that included a ban on advertising and promotion of milk substitutes for children up to 2 years, with an absolute ban on false health and nutritional claims.

Milk companies, represented by PHAP, appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that the new regulations constituted restraint on freedom of trade. The court granted a temporary restraining order last August that is still in effect.

Ziegler said he supports the Philippine government's position to regulate promotion of milk substitutes, and said he was counting on Filipinos and international organizations to oppose "manipulative and deceptive tactics of milk companies."

One such ad that has appeared prominently in Philippine dailies shows a picture of a mother breast-feeding her baby. It says that while breastfeeding is the best practice, mothers have a right to a choice. It then cites WHO and Unicef as recognizing that when mothers do not breastfeed or only do so partially, they can use infant formula.

"It appears to be promoting breast-feeding, but actually it's saying it's OK not to breastfeed," said Alexis Rodrigo of Unicef's Manila office.

Unicef estimates 1.5 million Filipino infants can be saved each year through breastfeeding, and that virtually all mothers can breastfeed and produce enough milk for their babies.

It recommends that children up to six months of age should not be given any other milk but breast milk, which has all the antibodies and nutrients needed in the early period of life.

A lawyer for the PHAP did not immediately return an Associated Press call seeking comment.

[*dudes*]

Deceptive' ads for infant formula appall UN expert.
Associated Press

MANILA -- A UN expert has criticized milk companies and a Philippine pharmaceutical association for "deceptive and malicious" advertising practices aimed at selling infant formula in the Philippines.

Aggressive marketing practices by milk companies were misleading the public by claiming that breastfeeding cannot be done by a majority of women and that their products raise healthy, smart, and happy babies, Jean Ziegler, the UN food rights expert, said in a statement issued Tuesday.

Newspaper ads by the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines are "misleading, deceptive and malicious in intent," he said.

The statement issued by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva said the ads "manipulate data emanating from the UN specialized agencies, such as WHO and Unicef," as well as the Philippine health department, "with the sole purpose to protect the milk companies' huge profits, regardless of the best interest of Filipino mothers and children."

In 2003, the World Health Organization estimated that 16,000 children below 5 died in the Philippines due to improper feeding practices, including use of infant formula.

Today, only 16 percent of Filipino children between 4 and 5 months old are exclusively breast-fed while 13 percent of mothers do not breast-feed at all, believing they do not have enough milk, according to Unicef.

Last July, the Philippine health department introduced strict regulations that included a ban on advertising and promotion of milk substitutes for children up to 2 years, with an absolute ban on false health and nutritional claims.

Milk companies, represented by PHAP, appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that the new regulations constituted restraint on freedom of trade. The court granted a temporary restraining order last August that is still in effect.

Ziegler said he supports the Philippine government's position to regulate promotion of milk substitutes, and said he was counting on Filipinos and international organizations to oppose "manipulative and deceptive tactics of milk companies."

One such ad that has appeared prominently in Philippine dailies shows a picture of a mother breast-feeding her baby. It says that while breastfeeding is the best practice, mothers have a right to a choice. It then cites WHO and Unicef as recognizing that when mothers do not breastfeed or only do so partially, they can use infant formula.

"It appears to be promoting breast-feeding, but actually it's saying it's OK not to breastfeed," said Alexis Rodrigo of Unicef's Manila office.

Unicef estimates 1.5 million Filipino infants can be saved each year through breastfeeding, and that virtually all mothers can breastfeed and produce enough milk for their babies.

It recommends that children up to six months of age should not be given any other milk but breast milk, which has all the antibodies and nutrients needed in the early period of life.

A lawyer for the PHAP did not immediately return an Associated Press call seeking comment.

Thats indirect killing, the owner of this companies must be put into death penalty, money is more valuable to them than life