Buying nutrition science: How food industry sponsorship skews research and harms public health Nutrition seminar by Marion Nestle Tuesday, 26 September 2017 12:30 – 13:30, WHO HG, GenevaLibrary Meeting Room Join in via WebEx https://who-meeting.webex.com/who-meeting/j.php? http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/seminar_26Sept2017/en/
Amazon commercialises the Baby Boxes idea
The decision of the Scottish government to follow the Nordic practice of giving all new mothers Baby Boxes full of useful unbranded things (Click Here) is being exploited by Amazon – who are commercialising and cashing in on the idea with Baby Bundles that…
IBFAN-ICDC Launches its 11th Global Monitoring Report
IBFAN-ICDC LEGAL UPDATE January – September 2o17 CLICK HERE Topics highlighted in this issue: IBFAN-ICDC Launches its 11th Global Monitoring Report Reviewing a “Pioneer-Law” which predates the Code in Papua New Guinea Code at the ASEAN Forum Code for Thailand: One…
Some useful new articles about how business works
How Big Business Got Brazil Hooked on Junk Food As growth slows in wealthy countries, Western food companies are aggressively expanding in developing nations, contributing to obesity and health problems. As growth slows in wealthy countries, Western food companies are aggressively…
EU MPS to debate safety on imports from Japan
STOP PRESS: CLICK HERE to hear the debate where MEPs voted in favour of the Resolution below. The Green Group of the European Parliament has proposed a Resolution about imports of food from Japan following the Fukushima disaster. The draft Motion…
US trade deal after Brexit could see milk and baby formula with cancer-causing toxins flood UK market
Click Here US trade deal after Brexit could see milk and baby formula with cancer-causing toxins flood UK market US limits allow up to 20 times more poisonous aflatoxins than the stricter EU regulations Tom Peck @tompeck Monday 7 August 2017 00:00…
Babies and mothers worldwide failed by lack of investment in breastfeeding
CLICK HERE for UNICEF analysis of Press coverage JOINT PRESS RELEASE 1 August 2017 New analysis shows an investment of US$4.70 per newborn could generate US$300 billion in economic gains by 2025 GENEVA/NEW YORK, 1 August 2017 – No country in the…
To be trustworthy Codex standards should be protected from commercial influence
To be trustworthy Codex standards should be protected from commercial influence Click Here for the webcast of ‘NGO’ Panel Wednesday 7-8pm 19th July chaired by the outgoing Codex Chair, Awilo Ochieng Pernet. Panel Members: AOAC International (Erik Konings, Past President)…
Fortification: Too Much of a Good Thing?
The rise in fortification interventions since the establishment of the Scaling Up Nutrition and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) has been dramatic – and has given the ultra-processed food corporations a big boost. BBC World Service broadcast a…
EU Council conclusions on Childhood Overweight and Obesity
CLICK HERE There is growing recognition of the importance of early years feeding in long term health, obesity prevention and health inequalities. So we were pleased to read the EU Council conclusions regarding actions that can be take to halt…
Human Milk Banks – watch out for commercial exploitation.
The need for safeguards against commercial exploitation of Human Milk collection is explained in This new article by IBFAN’s Central Coordinator for Asia. India is planning a network of human breast-milk banks but first needs to put safeguards in place Breast-milk collected…
Nestlé violations in Botswana
Health experts call out Nestlé for violations Botswana Gazette CLICK HERE
No better time to read Prevention Diaries
With so much heartache in the news caused by lack of attention to prevention measures – this is a good time to read Prevention Diaries: The Practice and Pursuit of Health for All by Larry Cohen, Executive…
European Food Safety Authority reaffirms the need for strict controls
Latest science further protects infants The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published its final guidance on 31st May on the assessment needed for food for babies under the age of 16 weeks. Following a consultation EFSA maintains the requirement for an extended one…
IBFAN tackles corporate influence in global health governance at the 70th World Health Assembly
Web screenings of the proceedings can be viewed on this link CLICK HERE for the statements on the IBFAN GIFA website COMMITTEE B Friday 25th May Afternoon (aprox 3.30) Management, legal and governance matters 23.3 Engagement with non-State actors . International Baby…
World Health Assembly elects Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as new WHO Director-General
POLITICO: In a first, African claims top job at WHO Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wants to expand health coverage and boost credibility. He has to mend fences first. By CARMEN PAUN AND SARAH WHEATON 5/23/17, 9:28 PM CET Updated 5/24/17, 12:55 PM CET GENEVA…
UN/WHO panel in conflict of interest row over glyphosate cancer risk
UN/WHO panel in conflict of interest row over glyphosate cancer risk https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/may/17/unwho-panel-in-conflict-of-interest-row-over-glyphosates-cancer-risk Chairman of UN’s joint meeting on pesticide residues co-runs scientific institute which received donation from Monsanto, which uses glyphosate A UN panel that on Tuesday ruled that glyphosate…
Will SUN push its way into India?
CLICK HERE for India Saga: Civil Society Organizations Raise Concern Over India’s Possibility Of Joining SUN Movement Aarti Dhar 22 May 2017 The Times of India Don’t join SUN, a nutrition drive Its ties with food MNCs create Conflicts of Interest…
Protecting breastfeeding in Emergencies
CLICK HERE for background documents CLICK HERE for live webcasts IBFAN Intervention on the debate on Emergencies at the 70th World Health Assembly, Palais des Nations, Geneva 22nd May 2017 Protecting breastfeeding in Emergencies and the Business of Malnutrition Agenda Item…
Should WHO be accountable to businesses? Responses from DG candidates
Should WHO be accountable to businesses? Responses from two of the Candidates for WHO Director General See the Open letter sent directly to the three candidates published in The Lancet: The election of WHO’s next Director General will take place on Tuesday…
Open letter to WHO DG candidates: keep policy and priority setting free of commercial influence
Open letter Response from Dr Sania Nishtar Response from Dr David Nabarro IBFAN has not expressed a preference for any candidate for the post of WHO Director General. However, we have written to all three to ask how they intend to safeguard WHO from…
Nestle, Danone, Abbott and Mead Johnson fail to meet RCPCH criteria
On 28th April The Lancet published seven of the many responses to the comment by WHO staff about the new funding policy of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH). The letters are all worth reading. For example, Declan O Brien says…
Trump & trade; WHO: in the claws of the lobbyists? India and Malnutrition
Trump & trade; WHO: in the claws of the lobbyists? India and Malnutrition, Amsterdam tackles Obesity Here are links to media coverage of some important stories: a German/French TV Documentary on WHO: its funding and relation to corporations and philanthropists;…
Codex follow-on formula standard
Consultation on the Codex revision of the Follow-up Formula Standard. Deadline 7th April. IBFAN’s submission on scope and labelling relating to the revision of the Follow-up Formulas Standard is HERE IACFO’s submission on scope and labelling relating to the revision of the Follow-up Formulas Standard…
Codex consultation on follow-up formulas and milks for young children
See consultation page for IBFAN and IACFO submissions on scope and labelling relating to the revision of the Follow-up Formulas Standard. Codex Member Sates are strongly urged to support the inclusion of the WHO Guidance in standards covering these products. (Please note that…
Could your Health Visitor win the Julie Crawford Award for Breastfeeding Support?
Julie Crawford Award for Breastfeeding Support 2017 Nominations are now OPEN The Baby Feeding Law Group is seeking nominations for the Julie Crawford Award for Breastfeeding Support. Nominations must be sent to Baby Milk Action (BFLG Secretariat) by 3rd May 2017…
In praise of conflict. Ted talk by Jonathan Marks
Do watch this great Ted talk outlining when and where conflict is necessary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5Ze3NZVtgs
Getting messages right – revised DEC appeal
STOP PRESS Manila Bulletin: DOH bans donation of breastmilk substitutes during disasters June 3, 2017, 3:20 PM By Betheena Kae Unite http://news.mb.com.ph/2017/06/03/doh-bans-donation-of-breastmilk-substitutes-during-disasters/ We contacted the aid agencies and complained to the Disaster’s Emergency Committee (DEC) about its appeal published on…
Bits and bobs
Why Nestle is one of the most hated companies in the world MAY 19TH, 2017 MIHAI ANDREI ZME Science newsletter Child labor, unethical promotion, manipulating uneducated mothers, pollution, price fixing and mislabeling – those are not words you want to see…
Sugar in baby foods – where have we got to?
Last year the EU Parliament objected to the levels of sugar in baby food and called for baby foods to be labelled from 6 months. Below is the rough schedule for what will happen now. Certainly nothing very fast! On…
Ensuring correct messaging about breastfeeding in emergencies.
An example of messaging that can undermine breastfeeding and feed commonly held misconceptions. We are pleased that DEC has agreed to ensure that future appeals following our complaint about this full page appeal in the Guardian today. Disasters Emergency Appeal…
UK and US responses to Fed is Best website
Fed is Best https://fedisbest.org/about/ A new organisation has sprung up called Fed is Best. It is being organised by Dr Christine Del Castillo – Hegyi – a physician based in the USA. Fed is Best seems to be attacking the BFHI 10 Steps…
Romania: EU legislation and the protection of child health
Romania: EU legislation and the protection of child health Considerations that Member States can take into account in their nutrition and health planning. Updated March 2017 The Romanian Parliament voted 1 year ago to introduce a new law that is significantly stronger…
Feeding babies in neonatal units – how an important campaign nearly got derailed.
Here is a letter from Professor Mary Renfrew of Dundee University that explains what happened when an appeal got thrown open to all and sundry. Dear colleagues You may remember the correspondence a few weeks ago about this Open…
Alison Thewliss’s Bill seeks to crack down on formula promotion
21st February 2017 Here is the LINK to Alison Thewliss’ Bill that has just been posted on the Parliament website http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2016-17/feedingproductsforbabiesandchildrenadvertisingandpromotion.html On Alison’s website here is a great summary of what the new proposed Agency plans to do and the results of the consultation.…
Health professional associations and industry funding
LancetRCPCH Following the very worrying announcement by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) of its decision to accept funding from manufacturers of breastmilk substitutes – a decision that went against the vote by RCPCH members at their…
Open letter regarding the Gates Foundation application for official relations
January 26, 2017 (Geneva): A joint statement (signed by 36 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) was issued to members of the World Health Organization’s Executive Board (EB) at its semi-annual meeting this week in Geneva. EB members will decide on Tuesday 31st January whether to…
IBFAN at WHO’s 140th Executive Board meeting
140th WHO Executive Board Meeting 23rd January – 1st February 2017 There has been an IBFAN team in Geneva for the WHO Executive Board Meeting. Two days have been spent in closed meetings for the shortlisting of three candidates for the post…
Protected: Santa – you’re fired!
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Health campaigner: Andrew Herxheimer (1925-2016)
Andrew Herxheimer, born 4 November 1925 in Berlin, died 21 February 2016 at the age of 90 in London. Another sad loss that I should have posted before is Andrew Herxheimer, one of our advisors, who sadly died in February. Andrew…
Halfdan Mahler: father of the International Code dies.
We are very sad to hear that Halfdan Mahler WHO’s Director General when the International Code was adopted has died on 14th December. What an amazing contribution this man made to children’s health and survival. Here is a link…
Global standard-setting committee puts child health before trade
PDF version: ibfan-codex-pr-2016-4 Click here for background documents including official report of the meeting and participants list. Global standard-setting committee puts child health before trade 38th Codex Alimentarius Nutrition Committee, Hamburg, Germany 7th December 2016 Codex Alimentarius, the FAO/WHO body that…
Breastfeeding a matter of human rights, say UN experts, urging action on formula milk
Breastfeeding a matter of human rights, say UN experts, urging action on formula milk GENEVA (22 November 2016) – Breastfeeding is a human rights issue for babies and mothers and should be protected and promoted for the benefit of both,…
Castro’s speech at the 50th WHA, May 1998
The following is the full text of the speech delivered by Cuban President Fidel Castro at the Palace of Nations in Geneva on the occasion of the presentation to him of the Health for All Medal by the World Health…
FORMULA MARKETING LAW CLEARS FIRST COMMONS HURDLE
Feeding Products for Babies and Children (Advertising and Promotion) Bill http://www.alisonthewliss.scot/feeding-products-for-babies-and-children-advertising-and-promotion-bill/ News Release from Alison Thewliss MP Wednesday 16th November 2016 FORMULA MARKETING LAW CLEARS FIRST COMMONS HURDLE A new law to tighten up advertising of formula milk has…
Law to improve baby milk safety and information passes first hurdle in Parliament – proposed by Alison Thewliss MP
Alison Thewliss SNP MP for Glasgow Central made a great speech in the House of Commons today (16 November 2016) calling for stricter regulations to control the marketing of formulas for babies. This was the first reading of her proposed bill.…
Tesco, car parking vouchers and the anti-regulation agenda
The media has picked up on a story of a mother who was refused a car parking voucher when she visited a Tesco store because she had bought only infant formula and not a qualifying product. The reporting of it raises much wider issues…
Speak Out Against False Formula Advertising: An Open Letter to the FDA
THE BLOG Speak Out Against False Formula Advertising: An Open Letter to the FDA 10/28/2016 01:17 pm ET | Updated 16 hours ago Jennifer Grayson Journalist and author of Unlatched: The Evolution of Breastfeeding and the Making of a Controversy (HarperCollins) The Food and…
Baby Milk Action response to RCPCH relationship with formula milk companies.
Click Here for the background papers on the website of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH). The news that the postal vote approved RCPCH acceptance of formula sponsorship is really disappointing, especially since the College is a much valued…
REPORT OF THE UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE RIGHT TO FOOD TO THE 2016 UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY: NUTRITION – MALNUTRITION
With other members of Civil Society, we met the Special Rapporteur in Rome last week at the Committee on Food Security. She also came to our side meeting on Conflicts of Interest. Here is her promised report on Nutrition. REPORT OF…