STOP PRESS: Case Studies on inequalities in the EU and Romania IBFAN UK EU Chronology Romania: EU legislation and the protection of child health Considerations that Member States can take into account in their nutrition and health planning. …
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…
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…
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…
Conflicts of Interest in Food security and Nutrition Policies: Which way forward for the CFS?
Thursday 20 of October 2016 18.00-19.30 Iraq Room I attended the Committee on Food Security this week in Rome. CLICK HERE for photos of our side meeting attended by 200 people. Conflicts of Interest in Food security and Nutrition Policies:…
Paediatricians criticise college survey on links with formula milk firms
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…
Brexit and what it means for our work protecting infant and young child health
Click here to download this briefing as a pdf file. The UK has now voted in the referendum on its membership of the European Union (EU). There are pros and cons to any decision and one so momentous for the…
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…
Breastfeeding Solidarity March – Gaborone, Botswana, 10 June
An alliance of organisations in Botswana is campaigning to raise public awareness on the importance of breastfeeding in saving lives and supporting development outcomes. They are holding a Breastfeeding Solidarity March in Gaborone on 10 June, starting at 8:30 (announcement…
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…
Members of Parliament to hear how to protect mothers and babies from aggressive baby milk marketing as UK is assessed as failing to protect their rights
Baby Milk Action presentation in Parliament 17 May 2016 – 9:30 am Update: Click here to watch the presentation. (Follow on Twitter #APPGIFI – tweet you MP to ask if they are attending – MP contact details) Baby Milk Action will present…
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…
Commission Report on Young Child Formula
The Commission has published its long awaited report on Young Child Formula. Despite the fact that Member States wanted action, the Commission proposes no effective action, and leaves these products opento the market Nutraingredients: No new legislation needed on ‘growing…
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…
European Parliament votes for big reductions in sugar in baby foods and prohibitions on labelling at too early an age.
CLICK HERE for the new DELEGATED ACTS Click Here for BMJ article. bmj.i553.full PRESS RELEASE European Parliament votes for big reductions in sugar in baby foods and prohibitions on labelling at too early an age. 20th January 2016 European Parliament, Strasbourg …
Act now to reduce sugar levels in baby foods
Update 20 January: This campaign was successful. Click here for details. Take action to contact your representatives in the European Parliament before 20 January to strengthen baby food marketing regulations. Here is a quick explanation and instructions on what to…
Opportunity for MEPs to protect child health and prevent obesity
CLICK HERE and HERE for media coverage CLICK HERE for Mike Brady’s Campaign Blog about how you can help stop the misleading adverts and bad marketing CLICK HERE for MEPs on the ENVI Committee. Please ask as many as…
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…
IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE EU LEGISLATION
IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY TO PROTECT CHILD HEALTH CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE DEBATE that starts around 1 hour and 53 minutes after the start: On Monday 21st December there was an important debate in the European Parliament’s Environment, Public Health…
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…
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…
Green Party opposition to the Delegated Acts
On 16th October the Green Party registered an objection to the three Delegated Acts. Commission Delegated Regulations of 25.9.2015 supplementing Regulation (EU) No 609/2013 of the EP and Council as regards infant formula, follow-on formula, c(2015) 6478, food for special medical…
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…
World Obesity Day 11th October
TOMORROW – October 11th – is World Obesity Day see World Obesity for a host of useful statistic See also this article in the Guardian: Global obesity rise puts UN goals on diet-related diseases ‘beyond reach’ Sarah Boseley and Helen Davidson in Darwin Friday 9…
The Commission’s weak proposals on baby food and formula acts are out
The EU Commission’s proposals for new legislation covering the composition and marketing of baby foods and formulas have been sent to the European Parliament’s Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee (ENVI) I will post comments and a guide very soon…
Nestle sued over claims of false advertisement of the ingredients in its Gerber baby food
This article is relevant to the ongoing discussions at WHO about inappropriate marketing of foods for infants and young children and shows how foods are ‘idealised’ – not only by baby pictures but by vegetables. Below this article are…
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…
Iraq’s new Code
Ghada Sayed, IBFAN’s Regional Coordinator for IBFAN Arab World (IAW) has reported new achievement in the region. Iraq issued a Code for Protection and promotion of breastfeeding that was put in the Iraqi gazette on 27 th of April 2015. http://www.moj.gov.iq/uploaded/4362.pdf
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…
Debate on Breastfeeding in the House of Commons, Westminster Hall
See Alison Thewliss Scottish National Party, MP for Glasgow Central (above) leading the debate in the debate on Breastfeeding that took place yesterday – 24th June 2015 WEBCAST (the final item for the day, starts at 4:30 PM) HANSARD (Column 319WH) Do…
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…