CLICK HERE for an Italian article in Il Manifesto, Tanto zucchero please, siamo italiani about the controversy surrounding WHO’s Sugar Guidelines and the Conflicts of Interest on the Italian Delegation. Tanto zucchero please, siamo italiani CLICK HERE for a new BMJ…
WHO warned of risks of commercial exploitation of Ebola
WHO warned of risks of commercial exploitation of Ebola WHO Special session on Ebola, 25th January 2015, Geneva At today’s special session on Ebola, IBFAN, together with Public Services International (PSI) and Health Innovation in Practice (HIP) called on WHO to prevent…
Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity (ECHO)
IBFAN Statement on ECHO WHO Executive Board Meeting January 201 ECHO shortFINAL2 After representing IBFAN at the Civil Society Hearing of the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity (ECHO) on 14th October, we wrote this letter to explain our concerns about the…
New information on WHO Framework of engagement with non-state actors
The WHO Secretariat input for the upcoming WHO EB session is available now: · EB136/5 Framework of engagement with non-State actors · EB136/INF./2 Framework of engagement with non-State actors Information on regional committee debate
Santa Claus resigns
Here’s a Christmas message from our partners in Mexico Santa Claus resigns Dec 15, 2014 This year Santa Claus made a tough decision: since his kidnapping in 1931 by a beverage company, he is resigning from his captors. He refuses…
BMJ’s new Conflict of Interest Policy
CLICK HERE BMJ’s new Conflict of Interest Policy Editor’s Choice The milk debate, conflicts of interest, and our Christmas appeal Fiona Godlee, editor in chief, The BMJ fgodlee@bmj.com CLICK HERE ….Elsewhere we announce our new more stringent policy on financial conflicts of…
Global Nutrition Report
I attended the launch of the Global Nutrition Report at the House of Commons on Tuesday 2nd December. I picked up on something said by lead author Lawrence Haddad about Maharashtra (see below) and the appropriate role for industry. I made a…
Trade vs Health – global meeting fails to safeguard infant and young child health
Trade vs Health – global meeting fails to safeguard infant and young child health Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary UsesBali, Indonesia 24-28th November 2014 CLICK HERE for PDF version Infant and young child feeding was once…
How does the Gates Foundation spend its money to feed the world?
New from GRAIN | 4 November 2014 How does the Gates Foundation spend its money to feed the world? Since the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation added “feeding the world” to its objectives almost a decade ago, it has channelled…
All that glitters is not gold – The Truth about GE ‘Golden’ Rice
See the new Greenpeace expose. Velvet Here from IBFAN’s group in the Philippines, Arugaan, is interviewed (8.12m) You can also view the video using this link http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/agriculture/problem/genetic-engineering/Greenpeace-and-Golden-Rice/ or HERE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxSGKD50ioE The trailer can be viewed here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhOjpJqn-Ws The trailer has been…
Civil society disappointed at Nutrition negotiations in Rome (2014)
STATEMENT BY CSO DELEGATION TO THE OPEN ENDED WORKING GROUP OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NUTRITION 2 DISAPPOINTING OUTCOMES OF NEGOTIATIONS ON NUTRITION Governments met in the FAO Headquarters in Rome from 10-12 October 2014 to finalize the Rome Political…
Nestle using food banks in Canada to push formula
Companies are very keen to be seen to be addressing inequalities – and what better way to do this than to support food banks, breakfast clubs and other philanthropic ventures – using them to promote their brands of junk foods…
No more for Nespresso for George Clooney ?
20 Minutes – unofficial translation from an article in German that appeared in the Swiss Paper 20 Minutes. No more for Nespresso for George Clooney ? 3rd October 2014His wife should exert pressure on Clooney not to advertise for Nestlé anymore.…
WHO EU Regional Meeting: Conflicts of interest on the agenda
Important information on conflicts of Interest for upcoming WHO Regional Meetings: Copenhagen:15th- 18th September, I have posted these tweets: Why is the EU so keen on voluntary CSR and ‘multi-stakeholder’ approaches – when there is no evidence they work? WHO…
Nestle cancels health worker event in UK – but targets parents with baby show in Ireland
Media coverage: Irish Examiner 28 August 2014. Update 31 August: People concerned about Nestlé promoting its SMA formula brand through the pregnancy and baby show in Dublin produced leaflets with the support of Baby Milk Action to offer to those…
Nestle exploits World Breastfeeding Week as part of formula growth strategy
Baby Milk Action press release 6 August 2014 World Breastfeeding Week, promoted by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), takes place 1 – 7 August 2014, but this year it is being hijacked by Nestlé in a number of countries. This…
EFSA advice on infant and follow-on formulae
EFSA updates advice on infant and follow-on formulae 24 July 2014 Key findings: The Panel did not consider it necessary to propose specific compositional criteria for formulae consumed after one year of age, as formulae consumed during the first year…
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)
Baby Milk Action’s readers will be aware of our concerns about the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) – both of which are part funded by the foundation set up by the software giant, Bill Gates. The…
Have you signed this? If not, act now to safeguard the UN from Conflicts of Interest: July 10-11
Please ask health, human rights or development organisations to endorse the statement calling for effective safeguards against conflicts of interest. Large for-profit corporations and their front groups will be attending the Comprehensive Review and Assessment of the Progress achieved in the Prevention and Control…
NGO concerns about Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2)
19 November, 2014 Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Roma, Italy FAO Headquarters, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Roma, Italy CLICK HERE FOR NEW LETTER MTG 11 Julyfinal3 CLICK HERE for background Papers CLICK here for a letter sent from…
UN Global Compact Office says it has no role to play in protecting integrity of initiative as Nestle continues to violate its principles
Baby Milk Action press release 2 July 2014 Baby Milk Action has today sent an open letter to the Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, George Kell, over the failure of the Global Compact Office to hold Nestlé to account for…
EU Health Council highlights breastfeeding and misleading marketing
20th June 2014 The EU Health Council adopted some important Conclusions on Nutrition and Physical Activity on Friday. Because of its importance to the economy, the EU seems to have chosen to ‘persuade’ rather than ‘regulate’ the food industry.’ In our view this overlooks…
UN General Assembly General Assembly: hearing on NCDs
General Assembly: Informal interactive hearing with NGOs, civil society organizations, the private sector and academia on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) Round Table 2: “Mobilizing whole of society efforts for NCD prevention and control at…
Whistleblowing: Food Safety and Fraud
Whistleblowing FSM This is an excellent article, that should be read by all policy makers reprinted from Food Safety Magazine, June/July2014 by Yasmine Motarjemi. It makes an important case for supporting, rather than harassing whistleblowers. Yasmine Motarjemi, Ph.D., holds an M.Sc. degree in food…
Nestlé-sponsored conference cancelled following complaints
A major health conference in Scotland was cancelled last week following complaints about it being sponsored by Nestlé. Sunday Herald (1 June 2014) C&IT (2 June 2014) The Building A Healthier, Fairer Scotland conference was planned to take place at Dynamic…
IBFAN report launch 16 May 2014 – Companies continue to violate the International Code
Press release 16 May 2014 Media coverage: Dairyreporter Breaking the Rules, Stretching the Rules 2014 will be launched on 16 May 2014 at the Club Suisse de la Presse in Geneva by Annelies Allain, Director of the International Code Documentation Centre (IBFAN…
Can nutrition experts be independent if they get $25,000 per annum from Nestle?
CLICK HERE CLICK HERE for Update 46 story Times of India Rema Nagarajan, TNN | Apr 19, 2014, 10.00AM IST NEW DELHI: The question of conflict of interest among academics who serve on various boards or councils of private corporations…
Danone steps up promotion in the UK in violation of national and international regulations
Baby Milk Action has been contacted repeatedly about two events being sponsored by Danone in the UK in coming days: Tommy’s baby race on 30 June, promoting the Cow & Gate formula brand, and a Royal College of Midwives training…
European Parliament to vote on new regulations on baby food marketing
European Parliament to vote New regulations on baby food marketing The European Parliament will vote today on regulations that will cover legislation on baby foods and formulas in all EU Member States. CLICK HERE for a Background Briefing CLICK HERE…
Danone v. Nestle and conflicts of interest in the UK and Ireland
Following Nestlé’s entry into the UK and Irish formula markets in December 2012, when it finalised its takeover of Pfizer Nutrition/Wyeth and the SMA brand, we are starting to see more aggressive baby milk marketing practices, both from Nestlé and…
Danone steps up baby milk promotion in Ireland by branding Barnardos Ireland’s Big Toddle events with Cow & Gate formula logo as it rations formula in UK
Press release 25 April 2013 Media coverage: Irish Independent 2 May Danone has branded its sponsorship of Barnardos Ireland’s Big Toddle event running in 2013 with its Cow & Gate formula logo (left, image from the event Facebook page). At…
Conflicts of Interest threaten Mexico’s hunger project – industry’s poison chalice
PRESS RELEASE Gran Hotel, Mexico City 9th April 2013 Marcelo Melchior, President of Nestlé Mexico, and Rosario Robles, Secretary of Social Development signing the partnership deal, Mi Dulce Negocio Nestle (My Sweet Business) as part of Mexico’s Crusade Against Hunger. CLICK HERE for PDF…
Governments should govern, and corporations should follow the rules
The latest edition of SCN News contains an article written by myself and Patti Rundall, our Policy Director, with this title. See page 51 of http://www.unscn.org/files/Publications/SCN_News/SCNNEWS39_10.01_high_def.pdf SCN is the United Nations System Standing Committee on Nutrition. The theme of the journal…
WHO Global Forum in Moscow. Tackling food-related diseases: voluntary measures or regulation – carrot or stick?
27th April, 2011 WHO Global Forum in Moscow. Tackling food-related diseases: voluntary measures or regulation – carrot or stick? Press Release PDF http://www.who.int/nmh/events/moscow_ncds_2011/conference_documents/presentations/en/index.html The World Health Organization’s global forum in Moscow on 27th April, Addressing the challenge of noncommunicable diseases, sparked concern…
European Parliamentarians oppose bogus baby food health claim
DHA briefing for MEPs DHA V13 European Parliamentarians oppose bogus baby food health claim 16 March, 2011 – 15:33 — Patti European Parliamentarians oppose bogus health claim 16th March – Brussels Members of the European Parliament have moved to block a…
How media reporting can derail health policy
Archive piece How media reporting can derail health policy 18 January, 2011 – 19:16 — Patti The debate about the value of the BMJ comment piece rages on, with misleading stories and headlines falsely implying that breastfeeding is a risk…