PDF: bmj.i4555.full Paediatricians criticise college survey on links with formula milk firms BMJ 2016; 354 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i4555 (Published 17 August 2016) Cite this as: BMJ 2016;354:i4555 Paediatricians campaigning for their royal college to sever its links with infant formula milk…
It is World Breastfeeding Week – what you can do to promote it and stop formula companies hijacking it
It is World Breastfeeding Week, promoted by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA). In the UK, you can sign a Call to Action to change the conversation around breastfeeding on the UNICEF UK website. Also see the joint statement…
Protecting the right to Education against commercialisation
“The Special Rapporteur looks with concern at the rapid increase in the number of private education providers and the resulting commercialization of education, and examines the negative effects of this on the norms and principles underlying the legal framework of…
EU parliament slams aid scheme that uses big agribusiness to ‘feed Africa’
STOP PRESS CLICK HERE for yesterday’s vote in the EU Parliament slamming of the New Alliance Aid scheme CLICK HERE for IBFAN’s concerns about the role of business in the Scaling Up Nutrition initiative EU parliament slams aid scheme that uses big agribusiness…
Concerns about the role of businesses in Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN)
STOP PRESS CLICK HERE for yesterday’s vote in the EU Parliament slamming of the New Alliance Aid scheme PDF version: SUN IBFAN June132 2 2 page version prepared in 2014: SUN GAIN 2014 Right to Food and Nutrition Watch – the Business…
Trade vs Health – WHO opens the door to big business while trying to protect babies.
PDF: WHA69 IBFAN PR FINAL.2 CLICK HERE for TV Documentary WHO: in the claws of the lobbyists? MIYCN Resolution Guidance on ending the inappropriate marketing of foods for infants and young children WHA 69/7 Add 1 FENSA RESOLUTION PRESS RELEASE Trade…
IBFAN Statements on Obesity, Emergencies and WHO Governance
IBFAN statements at the 140th WHO Executive Board Meeting (23rd January-1st February 2017) Geneva Two days were spent in closed meetings for the selection of the short-list of three for the post of the new Director General of WHO. CLICK…
PRESS RELEASE: US trade lobby ignores global health concerns
Press Release (PDF) PRESS RELEASE: US trade lobby ignores global health concerns 69th World Health Assembly 26th May, 2016 At this year’s World Health Assembly in Geneva – three hot topics are on the agenda: baby foods, WHO’s interactions with Business…
Mothers need support not pressure – Baby Milk Action presentation to MPs
Click here to share this information using our new format for social media, smartphones and tablets (also works on computers). Baby Milk Action’s presentation to the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Infant Feeding and Inequalities – 17 May 2016…
Launch of joint WHO/UNICEF IBFAN monitoring report
Launch of new WHO/UNICEF/IBFAN Report: Breast-milk Substitutes: National Implementation of the International Code Status Report 2016 Followed by showing of Tigers WHO, UNICEF and IBFAN are hosting an evening of discussion on national implementation of the International Code of…
Media coverage and more on WHO’s FENSA
First a very useful paper setting out IBFANs Concerns regarding the proposed Framework of engagement with NSA This was a Discussion paper for the 68th WHA in 2015. IBFAN_2015_05_FENSA_concerns FINAL Media coverage on WHO’s Framework of Engagement with Non State Actors…
Royal College of Paediatrics to debate baby food funding
STOP PRESS: the motion was passed just now. Congratulations to the RCPCH Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health to debate baby food funding Annual General Meeting, 27th April, Liverpool Motion for debate: “In order for RCPCH as a professional body…
Inappropriate marketing of baby foods – new consultation round
Inappropriate marketing of baby foods – new consultation round to start soon Following the last meeting of Member States in early April, we understand that some changes have been made to the Guidance and we hope that our remaining concerns will…
Paediatricians call on royal college to drop financial ties to infant formula firms
TEXT OF THE MOTION TO BE VOTED ON 27th April 2016: “In order for RCPCH as a professional body to avoid institutional conflicts of interest and thus maintain its reputation as an unbiased, independent educator and advocate for child health,…
The Lancet Breastfeeding Series – holding corporations accountable
In part 1 of this article, I reflected on the new Lancet Breastfeeding Series and other significant developments in January concerning our mission to protect breastfeeding and protect babies fed on formula. My focus was on the paper concerning health benefits…
Civil Society warns of corporate takeover of the World Health Organisation
Civil Society warns of corporate takeover of the World Health Organisation 26th January 2016 World Health Organisation (WHO), Geneva, CLICK HERE for PDF version: FENSA PR 26.1.16 CLICK Here for the Letter from 57 NGOs FENSAB138_7-en latest draft of FENSA (January…
Civil Society has no confidence in the stalled Framework on Engagement with Non State Actors process
PDF: WHO FENSA CS_4.2.16.57 CLICK HERE for Press Release CLICK HERE for a link to the live and archived webcasts of the Executive Board meetings (available for 90 days). Thanks to Bill Jeffrey for working out that the video-recording on FENSA…
The problem with the Access to Nutrition Index
2016 Access to Nutrition Index (ATNI) launch for Academics and International NGOs. The Wellcome Foundation, London Friday 15th January 2016 I attended the Gates-Wellcome-CIFF-funded ATNI index that was created by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) in 2012 and scores major food…
Dietary public health research and the food industry. Towards a consensus?
I attended this conference in Cambridge, on Dietary public health research and the food industry on 11th December organised by the Centre for Diet and Activity Research (AUKCRC Public Health Research Centre of Excellence) Here is an article that followed: Limb_2015_foodLimb_2015_food Meanwhile…
WHO: Unease over seconded philanthropic foundation staff to top management
Thanks to Third World Network for this report – page down for the secondment table TWN Info on Health and UN Sustainable Development www.twn.my WHO: Unease over seconded philanthropic foundation staff to top management Geneva, 9 December (TWN) – Philanthropic…
A fox building a chicken coop?
A fox building a chicken coop? A fox building a chicken coop? – Policy Forum www.policyforum.net The World Health Organization embarked on a reform process five years ago, that included looking at fundraising from private-sector sources. But serious policy questions…
Global Coordinating Mechanism blatantly pushes PPPs at WHO
C I’ve been attending the Global Coordinating Mechanism (GCM) on Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) that has been taking place at WHO HQ in Geneva. Its all been very disturbing especially since this is taking place before WHO’s policy on its engagement with…
IBFAN Codex comments
NEW PAPER ON UNICEF RUTF PROPOSAL RUTF Bullett FINAL IBFAN submissions to the 37th codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) Bad Soden am Taunus, Germany 23-27 November 2015 I will be joining the IBFAN Codex…
Brazilian law is signed at last
3rd November 2015 Very important news from Brazil: After many decades of deliberation and struggle by our IBFAN colleagues in Brazil, a Brazilian law that bans advertising of formulas, pacifiers, bottles and all products that can interfere on breastfeeding – Regulation 11265/2006…
New International Development Mandate for Canada
http://www.can-mnch.ca/minister-mandate-letter/ Minister of International Development and La Francophonie Mandate Letter Today, the Government of Canada outlined the mandate of the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie. CAN-MNCH is pleased to see a strong commitment to advancing women and children’s…
IBFAN comment on Ending Childhood Obesity Report
The Deadline for comments on the Draft Final Report of the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesityis today 13th November 2015. Baby Milk Action and IBFAN have submitted the following comment. BabyBaby Milk ActionIBFAN_ECHO_Nov2015 The Draft Final Report is HERE CLICK…
Nestle launches new hypoallergenic formula promotion campaign as BMJ finally retracts fraudulent research that built the market
Baby Milk Action press release 29 October 2015 Media coverage: Huffington Post 5 November The British Medical Journal (BMJ) announced yesterday that it has finally retracted a fraudulent study used by Nestlé, Mead Johnson and other formula companies to weaken laws…
Childhood Obesity Inquiry highlights baby food industry marketing and sponsorship
Childhood Obesity Inquiry highlights baby food industry marketing and sponsorship for links to Blog with full Transcripts CLICK HERE Parliamentary Select Committee Childhood Obesity Inquiry. House of Commons, 20th October, 2015 The Select Committee inquiry on Childhood…
The Right to Food and Nutrition Watch 2015 – Business of Malnutrition
New publication – the Right to Food and Nutrition Watch 2o15 This includes three articles contributed by IBFAN. The Business of Malnutrition: The perfect public relations cover for big food by Patti Rundall, Policy Director, Baby Milk Action, UK Business of Malnutrition,…
NGOs criticise WHO’s ‘non paper’ on conflicts of interest
NGOs_Chan_67 NGOs criticise WHO’s ‘non paper’ on conflicts of interest 22.10.2015 For the past 4 years and as part of the WHO reform, WHO and its governing bodies are discussing new set of policies, currently called Framework of Engagement With Non…
WHO ‘non paper’ on Framework of Engagement With Non State Actors (FENSA)
See Press release about the letter from 67 NGOs to WHO and the NonPaper on the implications of the Framework of Engagement With Non State Actors (FENSA) For the past 4 years and as part of the WHO reform, WHO and its governing bodies…
Health visitors caught up in Nestle v Danone formula marketing war
The Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association (CPHVA) is a member of the Baby Feeding Law Group (BFLG), which works for the baby feeding industry to be better regulated. It is worrying to see it being targeted by Nestlé and…
IBFAN speaks on Conflicts of Interest at ISSOP conference
IBFAN speaks on Conflicts of Interest at ISSOP conference CLICK HERE
Nestlé hijacking World Breastfeeding Week again….
CLICK HERE for WHO, UNICEF, WABA and ILO materials Just like 2014, Nestlé has once again been hijacking World Breastfeeding Week, and all the while continuing to systematically break the UN marketing requirements. There have been advertisements in daily newspapers, sometimes full…
Deadline for comments on WHO Consultation on baby food promotion
A reminder that Monday AUG 10th is the deadline for comments on WHO’s consultation on “Clarification and guidance on inappropriate promotion of foods for infants and young children” See my consultation page for background documents and comments from Baby Milk Action,…
TWN on FENSA: Concerns that “official relations” are used for promoting business interests
Here is a piece from Third World Network, who like IBFAN have been following WHO’s interactions with the private sector WHO: Concerns that “official relations” are used for promoting business interestsGeneva, 16 July (TWN) – The collaboration work plan that the…
WHO DG on Ending Childhood Obesity
WHO Director-General addresses Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity Hong Kong 22nd June CLICK HERE for the speech by Dr Chan at the Third meeting of the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 22 June…
IBFAN at the 68th WHA May 2015 – draft FENSA is published
CLICK HERE for the Framework for Engagement of Non State Actors (FENSA) as it was left at the end of the Assembly. The proceedings of the Plenary and Committee Room discussions at the World Health Assembly were web streamed for the…
OXFAM and Global Justice Now keep an eye on DFID and PPPs
DFID and the privatisation of health and education by Jessica Hamer, Health Policy Advisor, Oxfam POSTED BY MOHGA KAMAL-YANNI ON JUN 8TH, 2015 Following on from the UK government’s advocacy that WHO should speedily adopt its seriously flawed Framework on Non State Actors (FENSA) this…
News update – lead in Maggi noodles and more….
Criminal Complaint Accuses Nestlé India of High Lead Levels in Maggi Noodles Food inspectors say they found seven-times the permissible level of lead in a routine test By PREETIKA RANA Wall Street Journal, May…
Latin American Food and Beverage industries
Alliance Latin American associations of the industry of food and beverages Declaration of QUITO 10 and March 11, 2015 ALIAB declaración vs regulaciones e impuestos
WHO opens the doors wide to corporate influence
IBFAN Press Release19.5.15 for PDF WHO opens the doors wide to corporate influence 68th World Health Assembly, UN Palais, Geneva 18th May 2015 The long-running debate about how WHO interacts with corporations is coming to crisis point. In the context of its…
Guardian Readers’ Editor says Danone-sponsored content “a mistake”
Update 23 July 2015: Guardian.com Editor accepts conclusion Danone sponsorship was a mistake and thanks Baby Milk Action for prompting more rigorous scrutiny of potential sponsors (see below). The Guardian, 18 May 2015: The readers’ editor on … sponsorship of roundtables (full text –…
Getting answers from politicians
Voters in the UK go to the polls on 7 May to elect a new Parliament and so a new government. Where do the parties stand on infant feeding issues? We put two questions to all political parties represented in…
Nestle recruiting staff to break the Code in the UK
Nestlé entered the UK with the takeover of the SMA brand in 2012. The aggressive methods it uses around the world as it competes with Danone (owner of Aptamil, Cow & Gate and Nutricia) have now reached these shores. Nestlé…
Nestle involvement in Toronto CivicAction better city boot camp slammed
Today (28 April 2015) a Nestlé executive is due to be guest speaker at an event in Toronto, Canada, called “Better City Boot Camp” on the topic of nutrition in the first 1000 days from conception run by an organisation called…
The Guardian responds to Baby Milk Action over Danone-sponsored content
Update 18 May 2015: Guardian Readers’ Editor says Danone-sponsored content “a mistake” – Update 23 July 2015: Guardian.com Editor accepts this conclusion and thanks Baby Milk Action for prompting more rigorous scrutiny of sponsors. Baby Milk Action received a response from…
Media studies: Danone-sponsored content in The Guardian
Update 18 May 2015: Guardian Readers’ Editor says Danone-sponsored content “a mistake” What happens when a newspaper runs content sponsored by corporations? The following is a case study looking at the new business model being pursued by The Guardian newspaper in…
Gates Foundation and clarification on IBFAN funding policy
Below are some media and research articles about the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) along with a Clarification of IBFAN’s funding policy. Don’t reduce the global poor to potential consumers By treating health care as a commodity, Gates…
New WHO consultations
1 WHO Framework of engagement with non-State actors CLICK HERE for the background information http://www.who.int/about/who_reform/non-state-actors/en/ Textual proposals submitted by Member States on the draft overarching framework of engagement with non-State actors and the four specific policies contained in the Annex of document…