UNHCR Refugee Statistics. Risky Codex labelling guidelines adopted Codex Commission (CAC49) Geneva, 6-10th July The 49th Codex Alimentarius Commission met in Geneva this last week and among other issues, adopted new labelling Guidelines for foods for emergencies proposed by the…
Infant food security and formula safety in the UK
Infant food security and formula safety in the UK Recommendations from the cereulide toxin formula contamination and recall event First Steps Nutrition Trust. RACHEL CHILDS (RNutr). MAY 2026 UK Media coverage: Daily Express bmp Daily Mail Times FSNT_Formula recall briefing May…
Lancet: Outrage over UN-Nestlé partnership
Outrage over UN-Nestlé partnership OPEN letter When the UN Partners With the Harm It Is Meant to Prevent Health Policy Watch, Inside View 08/05/2026 • Unni Karunakara An Open Letter, now signed by 600 academics, health-workers and campaigners has…
Stephen Lewis – strong advocate for child rights dies
IBFAN is sad to hear the news that Stephen Lewis, an outspoken champion for Human Rights, died March 31, 2026, at the age of 88. “Those who, for instance, make claims about infant formula that intentionally undermine women’s confidence in…
Abbott Law suit awards millions to parents of babies
Abbott punative damages Law 360 Abbott Laboratories fined $53M Law360, Chicago (April 9, 2026) A jury awarded $53 million in damages to four mothers claiming Abbott Laboratories concealed the risk of the illness associated with its formula from both the public and its regulators. The…
WHO: 158th Executive Board meeting
priorityIBFAN WEBSITE GUIDE TO THE EB The 158th session of the Executive Board will take place at WHO HQ in Geneva. 2–7 February 2026. WEB STREAMING OF EB158 CLICK HERE for the Agenda and Documentation. Preliminary daily timetable ______________________________________ IBFAN…
Compilation: Blogs about former US President Donald Trump
2015: Bolton, Trump, Johnson – how food standards get lowered “Improper political interference” in US baby foods puts health and scientific integrity at stake . 2018 Conflicts of Interest and US pressure at the Codex meeting in Rome…
UK Government response to the CMA
Infant formula: government response to CMA market study 3rd December 2025 The UK Government’s long-awaited response to the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) 11 recommendations on the formula milk market was announced today during Prime Minister’s Questions, with some welcome…
Global Trade: Protecting independent science as Codex tackles UPF
Protecting independent science as Codex tackles UPF CAC48 Rome 10-14th November Meeting detail. REPORT Participants. WEBCASTING. DAY 1: AM | PM DAY 2: AM | PM DAY 3: AM | PM. Day 4 CAC48 IBFAN IBFAN CRD 42 IBFAN attended…
Climate Crisis intensifies water scarcity – Nestlé’s water scandals
See more on IBFAN website PDF: NestleWaterScandals Severe and increasing droughts caused by the climate crisis exacerbate water shortages and environmental pollution. As COP 30 opens in Brazil, IBFAN’s Statement ‘Nestlé Water Scandals’ addresses the exploitation of scarce water resources…
UN General Assembly: US blocks consensus on NCD Declaration
BREAKING: UN Declaration on Noncommunicable Diseases Fails to Win Approval After US Foils Consensus Non-Communicable Diseases 25/09/2025 • Elaine Ruth Fletcher WHO website NGO letter Food industry must be held accountable for driving rising obesity and ill health…
Case study of Access to Nutrition Initiative’s Global Index
Corporate accountability in food system governance? A case study of the Access to Nutrition Initiative’s Global Index Penelope Milsom, Nathan Dumont-Leblond and David McCoy (2025). Corporate accountability in food system governance? A case study of the Access to Nutrition Initiative’s…
UNICEF Report: Feeding Profit How food environments are failing children.
Feeding Profit How food environments are failing children. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Feeding Profit. How food environments are failing children. Child Nutrition Report 2025, UNICEF, New York, September 2025. Link to full and brief UNICEF report in many languages…
Corporate Power and Human Rights in Food Systems.
Corporate Power and Human Rights in Food Systems. The final report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Mr. Michael Fakhri will be presented to the UN General Assembly on 17 October 2025. There are many…
6 lifesaving messages for Gaza and similar settings
6 lifesaving IYCF-E messages for Gaza and similar settings IBFAN WEBSITE Please help share PDF Linkedin and on Facebook. The lack of food, and medical supplies that mothers and families of Gaza face is catastrophic. As the IPC Famine Review report concludes,…
WBW 2025: PRIORITISE BREASTFEEDING – CREATE SUSTAINABLE SUPPORT SYSTEMS
WBW 2025: PRIORITISE BREASTFEEDING – CREATE SUSTAINABLE SUPPORT SYSTEMS World Breastfeeding Week 2025 #WBW2025 will focus on environment and climate change. It will highlight our roles in supporting breastfeeding to create a sustainable environment while simultaneously reducing the impact of climate…
Draft Standard for Foods for Older Infants and Young Children
CODEX COMMITTEE ON NUTRITION AND FOODS FOR SPECIAL DIETARY USES (CCNFSDU) Draft Standard for Foods for Older Infants and Young Children Baby Milk Action attends Codex either as IBFAN, ENCA or sometimes as IACFO. Here are the comments that…
Adjournment Debate on infant feeding. The House of Commons 1st July 2025
Following the launch of the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative Report last week, Jess Brown-Fuller, Liberal Democrat MP for Chichester, led an Adjournment Debate on Infant feeding this evening, Tuesday 1 July 2025 in the UK House of Commons this evening.…
France passes a law to ban ‘forever chemicals’ in several products
20 Feb 2025 Today, France has passed a new law that will ban PFAS in several products including clothing and cosmetics. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of over 10,000 highly persistent synthetic chemicals often called ‘forever chemicals’, because…
WHO Member States call for the regulation of Digital marketing of baby foods
Press Release Read on IBFAN’s website WHO Member States call for the regulation of Digital marketing of baby foods 10th February 2025 In the face of the budgetary and political crisis following the USA withdrawal from WHO, the 156th…
Why WHO is important & why IBFAN is a ‘critical friend’
Why WHO is important and why IBFAN is a ‘critical friend’ The USA announced its intention to withdraw from WHO on 20th January As a ‘critical friend’ of WHO for nearly 50 years, we consider this to be worrying, not…
Thailand Bans Advertising for Toddler Milk
Regulation Thailand Bans Advertising for Toddler Milk by Heather Vogell Dec. 24 2024 With new rules, Thailand joins three dozen countries that have taken steps to regulate toddler milk ads. The action follows a ProPublica investigation that detailed how the…
New Sponsorship resources from WHO
Three new WHO resources support WHO’s recommendation (1) that, in order to promote, protect and support breastfeeding, prevent obesity and noncommunicable diseases, promote healthy diets, and ensure that caregivers receive clear and accurate information on feeding, companies that market foods…
Last chance to Support the addition of Exclusive Breastfeeding as an indicator in the Sustainable Development Goals.
Last chance to support the inclusion of an EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING indicator in the Sustainable Development Goals. DEADLINE Thursday 15th August 2024 Deadline Today: 15th August 2024 Here is the link to the submission page where you can add your details and…
600 delegates from 66 countries at the WPHN Congress challenge corporate power
University of Westminster hosts World Public Health Nutrition Congress 2024 with 600 delegate from 66 countries One year before the end of the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition, Westminster has held the World Public Health Nutrition Congress 2024 in…
COMPILATION: Why Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships are problematic
Compilation: Why Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships are so problematic The need for sound information on infant and young child feeding is at the heart of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and the 20 World Health Assembly Resolutions that have…
HISTORY OF THE DEADLY FIGHT AGAINST THE FORMULA INDUSTRY
Putting Babies Before Profits- THE HISTORY OF THE DEADLY FIGHT AGAINST THE FORMULA INDUSTRY. Alive and Thrive
WHO: Reaching informed decision-making on engaging with private sector entities for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases: a practical tool
Final publication published 2024. Supporting member states in reaching informed decision-making on engaging with private sector entities for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases: a practical tool. World Health Organization. https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/378209. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO IBFAN and many…
COMPILATION: Codex Press Releases and comments
Latest news: IBFAN COMPILATION CODEX COMMITTEE ON NUTRITION AND FOODS FOR SPECIAL DIETARY USES (CCNFSDU) Electronic Working Group (EWG) on a Draft Standard for Foods for Older Infants and Young Children ENCA comment EWG on Processed foods for IYCF…
Digital Marketing is out of control – Brazil calls for a Resolution to protect mothers and babies
Douglas Nascimento Santana, speaking for Brazil, said that they intend to propose a World Health Assembly (WHA) Resolution on the digital marketing of breastmilk substitutes. IBFAN PR EB154. Transcript of EB154 debate. Excerpts MS NSA. EB154 Recordings of IBFAN statements…
Jan 2024:IBFAN statements at the 154th WHO Executive Board Meeting
Agenda Item: 20. Maternal, infant and young child nutrition. WEBCAST AGENDA ITEM 20 – MIYCN rough transcript of EB154 MIYCN PDF of all 6 IBFAN Statements. Recordings of IBFAN statements IBFAN on MIYCN Friday 10pm WHO should be proud of the…
Digital Marketing is out of control -a WHA Resolution is urgently needed
Digital Marketing is out of control – a Resolution is needed to protect mothers and babies WHO 154th Executive Board, WHO HQ Geneva, 22 27 January- 2024. 2024 is a reporting year for Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) Digital…
Delay, Delay, Delay – industry interference in Sri Lanka
Stop Press: Sri Lanka’s Sunday Times contacted Nestle Lanka about the ‘double standards’ exposé of is added sugar. A spokesperson responded: “We have been providing nutritious, tasty and safe products to Sri Lankans for over 115 years. Our products comply with…
Women and Children at Greatest Risk from Climate Crisis
Nestlé and Plastic Pollution. C4 TV documentary: My Family and the Galapagos – 2020 initially sponsored by Nestle – they dropped the sponsorship after I complained. https://www.babymilkaction.org/archives/23937 IBFAN Health and Environmental Impacts 2024 Global Plastics Treaty IBFAN Statement Cop…
WHO Regional Committee for Europe: Slovenia calls for support for breastfeeding in emergencies.
Regional Committee for Europe: Slovenia calls for support and protection for women who want to breastfeed in emergencies. “..We must not forget about the continued care for people living with chronic conditions, as well as prevention and health promotion- for…
Baby Milk Action comments on UK trade strategy.
UK accession to Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Inquiry Following the announcement of the UK’s accession on 16 July, the UK International Agreements Committee is reactivating its inquiry into CPTPP and is gathering new evidence, regarding the…
WHO’s first Global Congress on the Code
WHO Global Congress on the Implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes This Congress was a first for WHO since the Code’s adoption in 1981. For three days, over 400 delegates from 130 countries, worked in Plenary and in…
New essential publications on the health risks of Ultra-Processing
___________________________________________________________ Ultra-Processed Foods marketed for infants and young children in the UK This new report from the deservedly widely trusted charity, First Steps Nutrition Trust (FSNT) follows on from Chris van Tulleken’s book and is yet more essential reading.…
IBFAN at the 76th World Health Assembly
Tuesday 23rd May. The public health NGOs – annoyingly called Non State Actors (NSAs) – who stayed on till 11pm to speak on the Emergency Debate. Standing: Baba Aye. Public Services International, Seated Left Jaume Vidal, HAI, Patti Rundall on…
May 2023 Codex labelling: will ‘sustainability’ claims boost trade of harmful products?
May 2023 Codex Labelling: will ‘sustainability’ claims boost trade of harmful products? The 47th Codex Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL) will meet in Ottawa, Canada May 15 to 19 2023. The Session will also be broadcasted in listening mode in…
Digital Marketing undermines breastfeeding in Mexico
Following on from WHO’s recent report on the impact of Digital marketing, a new study from mexico provides some new evidence Digital marketing of formula and baby food negatively influences breast feeding and complementary feeding: a cross-sectional study and video…
COP27 – Can lessons be learned and the UPF trade controlled?
COP27 – Can lessons be learned and the UPF trade controlled? Extinction Rebellion mass ‘nurse-in’ . Westminster, London October 2019 Photo: Helena Smith IBFAN Cop 27 ENG IBFAN COP27 ES COP27 – IBFAN FR As world leaders meet in Sharm El-Sheikh,…
Infant and young child feeding in the first three days after a nuclear power plant accident .
Please download the new guidance here. IFE Core Group recently published this new guidance note on Infant and young child feeding in the first three days after a nuclear power plant accident . You can also see the guidance document…
Pakistan Floods: IBFAN supports Ministry of Health’s call to protect breastfeeding
Breastfeeding International Emergency Response with IBFAN Pakistan Report IBFAN PAKISTAN – PRESS RELEASE June 2022, The worst .floods in Pakistan‘s history put a third of the country under water and killed 1,717 people. The monsoon rains, melting glaciers and severe heat wave…
WHO on World Breastfeeding Week: Foods for infants and young children: a matter of concern?
https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/03-08-2022-foods-for-infants-and-young-children–a-matter-of-concern Foods for infants and young children: a matter of concern? 3 August 2022 News release World Breastfeeding Week, held on 1–7 August each year, sparks discussions across the WHO European Region around the growing international concern about infant…
World Food Safety Day – who should be held accountable for the 9 US baby deaths?
World Food Safety Day: who should be held accountable for the 9 US baby deaths? IBFAN Statement 7th June 2022 Above: The baby formula shortage is prompting calls to increase support for breastfeeding, NPR May 30, 2022. “Parents…
4 new WHO reports expose marketing by the $55 billion formula milk industry
Dr Tedros explains why the predatory marketing baby feeding products can harm children and announces the new WHO reports on predatory marketing. WHO UNICEF multi-country report – How marketing of formula milk influences our decisions on infant feeding WHO report…
NEW: WHO UNICEF IBFAN -National implementation of the Code Status report 2022
Marketing of breastmilk substitutes: national implementation of the international code, status report 2022 WHO UNICEF IBFAN https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/354221 This report provides updated information on the status of implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (BMS) and subsequent relevant…
NEW Joint Statement on Ukraine crisis – protecting mothers and children
Link to Baby Milk Action Blog. Infant feeding in emergencies – links to blogs IYCF_Joint-Statement-V2-06052022-EN IYCE Hub for more information Joint Statement Protecting Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices in the Ukraine Conflict and Refugee Crisis Version 2: May 2022…
Why formula donations can be a risk – examples from Ukraine and Myanmar
Formula distribution in Myanmar: Here is a Facebook page shows free distribution of Nature One formula (follow-up) in Myanmar. The actress Khine Hnin Wai who runs a charity orphanage (who also appears to be the brand ambassador), says in the video that…
