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U.N.-Approved Global Pact for Tackling Nutrition- and Alcohol-related Diseases is Strong on Awareness, Timid on Action
20 September, 2011 - 11:04 — Patti
U.N.-Approved Global Pact for Tackling Nutrition- and Alcohol-related Diseases is Strong on Awareness, Timid on Action
NEW YORK (September 19, 2011)—A consortium representing thousands of non-profit public health advocacy groups made the following comment on the “Political Declaration” of the “High Level Meeting on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases” at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on September 19-20, 2011, approved unanimously at 10:04 a.m. today. (Following several months of negotiation, U.N. officials recently added several hours to the plenary session to accommodate a high level of interest by world leaders and other top government officials to speak to the issue in the Assembly Hall.)
The U.N. Political Declaration shows that governments world-wide have achieved a much better understanding of the extent to which poor nutrition and excess alcohol consumption worsen public health, weaken workforce productivity, and drive-up expensive treatment-intensive costs related to cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. Leaders also acknowledged that prevention must be a cornerstone of global and national responses to NCDs. Such newly acquired top-level awareness is, alone, a great achievement, but a clear commitment to implement prevention policies is still missing.
Effective public policy reform is the first casualty of timid “partnering” with companies that make products that contribute to an increase in disease risks or products that treat disease symptoms. To their credit, governments agreed that tobacco companies should have no place at the table, but risk trusting multi-trillion dollar global purveyors of alcohol, junk food, and pharmaceutical drugs to voluntarily change their for-profit stripes. Governments cannot continue to allow conflicts of interest with the private sector to go unchallenged and unmanaged in the policy-making process. An ethical code of conduct is needed to guide interactions with the private sector, which we must not forget is answerable primarily to shareholders and not to public health.
The Political Declaration is silent on specifics and short on solid commitment to regulations that could, for example:
· Mandate salt and sugar reduction in high-salt and high-sugar processed foods;
· Realign food VAT/GST policies for food and agricultural subsidies with sound nutrition science;
· Mandate easy-to-understand front-of-pack nutrition labelling;
· Mandate nutrition information (e.g., sodium and calories) on restaurant menus;
· Prohibit the use of trans-fat laden partially hydrogenated oils in food;
· Protect children and young people from marketing of products that raise the risk of disease (e.g. banning the promotion of breast-milk substitutes and high-fat, -sugar and -salt foods to children and young people); and
· Prohibit advertising and brand sponsorship for alcohol beverages;
· Increase taxes on alcohol beverages;
· Require and enforce effective restrictions on impaired driving (such as random breath testing),and minimum purchase age; and
· Expand nutritious school meal programs.
The Political Declaration reinforced its support for the World Health Organization’s landmark Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and also called for the protection of breastfeeding and implementation of the Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, (1) but defers much of the job of addressing nutrition and alcohol to future work of WHO technical experts, Member States, and future U.N. meetings. Work left undone includes:
· developing tools to navigate the trade law barriers to health policy innovation,
· establishing workable, but energetic disease reduction targets and detailed policy implementation schedules, and
· vitally, instituting a mechanism to keep commercially self-interested parties at arms-length and public-interest groups constructively involved.
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Note to editors: The statement of the Conflict of Interest Coalition can be found at http://cspinet.org/canada/pdf/conflict-of-interest.pdf The final “Political Declaration” http://www.who.int/nmh/events/un_ncd_summit2011/political_declaration.pdf will soon be issued in the six officials languages of the United Nations. The Meeting’s program agenda can be found at http://cspinet.org/canada/pdf/summit-information-note-9-sept-2011.pdf
1 (i) Promote, protect and support breastfeeding, including exclusive breastfeeding for about six months from birth, as appropriate, as breastfeeding reduces susceptibility to infections and the risk of undernutrition, promotes infant and young children’s growth and development and helps to reduce the risk of developing conditions such as obesity and non-communicable diseases later in life, and, in this regard, strengthen the implementation of the international code of marketing of breast milk substitutes and subsequent relevant World Health Assembly resolutions;
Spokesperson Contact Information in New York City
Centre for Science in the Public Interest, Canada (CSPI-Canada) is an independent health advocacy organization with offices in Ottawa and Washington. CSPI's advocacy efforts are supported by more than 100,000 subscribers to the Canadian edition of its Nutrition Action Healthletter, on average, one subscribing household within a one block radius of every Canadian street corner. CSPI does not accept industry or government funding and Nutrition Action does not carry advertisements. Contact Point in New York City: Bill Jeffery, LLB, National Coordinator, Mobile/Text: 1-613-565-2140; bjeffery@cspinet.ca ; Skype at: billjeffery2447337; http://www.cspinet.org/canada/foodstrategies.html Follow me this week on Twitter at BillJefferyCSPI
Consumers International (CI) is the only independent global campaigning voice for consumers. With over 220 member organisations in 115 countries, we are building a powerful international consumer movement to help protect and empower consumers everywhere. Contact point in New York: Indrani Thuraisingham, CI’s head of Asia Pacific and the Middle East. Mobile +601 2205 2277. E-mail indrani(at)ciroap.org
Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (GAPA) is a developing network of non-government organizations and people working in public health agencies that share information on alcohol issues and advocate evidence-based alcohol policies. Contacts in New York: Derek Rutherford: drutherford@ias.org.uk, mobile +44-7710235164; Dr. Sally Casswell, Chairperson of the Scientific Advisory Panel: s.casswell@massey.ac.nz, mobile +64-21655346 Øystein Bakke, Secretary: oystein.bakke@forut.no ; mobile +47-41622135; and George Hacker, ghacker@cspinet.org, mobile +1-202-746-9210.
International Association for Consumer Food Organizations (IACFO) is an association of non-governmental organizations that represent consumer interests in the areas of nutrition, food safety, and related food policy matters. IACFO was formed in 1997 to increase consumer representation in the debate over the global food trade and to work with international agencies responsible for harmonizing standards related to the production, distribution, and sale of foods. IACFO regularly participates, as a recognized observer, in meetings of committees of the Codex Alimentarius Commission and meetings convened by the World Health Organization, the World Trade Organization, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. IACFO’s members also represent consumer interests before government regulatory agencies on five continents and release reports examining current nutrition policy and food safety issues. Contact Point in New York: See info, below, for CSPI and IBFAN.
International Association for the Study of Obesity (IASO) is a not-for-profit organisation linking over 50 regional and national associations with over 10,000 professional members in scientific, medical and research organisations. It is an umbrella organisation for 52 national obesity associations, representing 56 countries. Its mission is to improve global health by promoting the understanding of obesity and weight-related diseases through scientific research and dialogue, whilst encouraging the development of effective policies for their prevention and management. Contact in New York: Shiriki Kumanyika, PhD, MPH at skumanyi@mail.med.upenn.edu ; mobile: 1-267-252-1642
International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) consists of public interest groups working around the world to reduce infant and young child morbidity and mortality. IBFAN aims to improve the health and well-being of babies and young children, their mothers and their families through the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding and optimal infant feeding practices. IBFAN works for universal and full implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitute and Resolutions. Contact Point in New York City: Patti Rundall at prundall@babymilkaction.org; mobile: 44-0778-6-523493. website: http://info.babymilkaction.org/node/458
National Heart Forum (NHF-UK) is a leading charitable alliance of 70 national organisations working to reduce the risk of avoidable chronic diseases—coronary heart, disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, respiratory disease, and cancer. Our purpose is to co-ordinate public health policy development and advocacy among members drawn from professional representative bodies, consumer groups, voluntary and public sector organisations. Contact in New York: Paul Lincoln mobile +44 7946 433215; paul.lincoln@heartforum.org.uk Skype: paul.lincoln; Modi Mwatsama: mobile +44 7941 694995; modi.mwatsama@heartforum.org.uk ; Skype: modi.mwatsama Follow me this week on twitter at ModiMwatsama
World Cancer Research Fund International (WCRF International) Working with leading research scientists, policy makers and health professionals, WCRF International is committed to making cancer prevention a reality. It is the not-for-profit umbrella association that leads and unifies our WCRF global network of cancer charities dedicated to funding research and education programmes into the link between food, nutrition, physical activity, weight maintenance and cancer risk. The national charities are based in the US, UK, Netherlands, Hong Kong and France. WCRF International was created to maximise the potential of each national member, and by building a network of cancer charities, strengthen the global cancer prevention message. With the belief that greater impact can be achieved when allied organisations work together, WCRF International operates to ensure that each of its charities is in a stronger position than if it were operating in isolation. Contact Point in New York: Kate Allen, PhD at k.allen@wcrf.org; mobile: 44-07766-600-940. Follow us on Twitter at WCRFInt
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Corporate Involvement in International Nutrition and Alcohol Laws - Help or hindrance for protecting health, government budgets, and worker productivity?
16 September, 2011 - 15:54 — Patti
OTTAWA/WASHINGTON/LONDON/NEW YORK (September 16, 2011)—
A consortium of non-profit public health advocacy groups will press world leaders and other representatives of the 193 member states to call for strong public policy measures to curb nutrition and alcohol-related diseases and safeguards against conflicts of interest in the policy-making process when they meet in New York City at the United Nations General Assembly next week. (1)
The U.N. “High Level Meeting on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases” will adopt a strategy at the General Assembly on Monday and Tuesday, September 19-20, 2011, following difficult negotiations on a “Political Declaration” that began in June.
Last year, the U.N. pledged to create a strategy to limit cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases caused by poor nutrition, excess consumption of alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and physical inactivity. Negotiations during the summer revealed competing views about the effectiveness of voluntary food industry efforts, adequacy of existing international law, and the role of for-profit companies and public-interest groups in the policy-making process. The public-interest groups stress that governments now have an unprecedented full and sophisticated grasp of gigantic health and economic burden NCDs, but have been decidedly naive about conflicts of interest in policy-making.
(See the near-final “Political Declaration” at http://www.who.int/nmh/events/un_ncd_summit2011/political_declaration.pdf , program agenda at http://cspinet.org/canada/pdf/summit-information-note-9-sept-2011.pdf , and the statement of the Conflict of Interest Coalition at http://cspinet.org/canada/pdf/conflict-of-interest.pdf )
”The multitude of 140, and counting, public interest groups calling for safeguards against conflicts of interest cannot be ignored, and citizens in any country don’t have to be experts in good governance to know that the fox belongs outside the hen house,” said Patti Rundall of the International Baby Food Action Network. “Having industry at the table can be ruinous for consensus on public health priority-setting, and virtually guarantees the lowest and most useless common denominator,” she added.
“Leaders simply must get fundamental disease rate-reduction targets locked in—starting with 25% by 2025—and really embrace effective regulations on population-level salt reduction and trans fat elimination, nutrition standards for school meals, food tax reform, controls on the marketing of high fat, salt and sugar foods and alcohol to children and young people, and front of pack labelling in order to safeguard the health and economic development, nationally and internationally,” said Paul Lincoln of the UK-based National Heart Forum.
“World leaders need to demonstrate their dedication to public health nutrition as they have already begun to do for tobacco control. Leaders fall short when they white-wash ineffective food industry promises, and duck specifics on regulatory reform while backward-looking World Trade Organization rules (and Codex Alimentarius Commission nutrition standards) tie the hands of national governments,” said Bill Jeffery of the Centre for Science in the Public Interest-Canada and the International Association of Consumer Food Organizations.
“The United Nations needs a sensible, evidence-based and experience-informed code of conduct to ensure that commercial operations in food, alcohol, drug and other industries do not impair progress or the effectiveness of NCD prevention policies,” said Dr. Kate Allen of the World Cancer Research Fund International.
“Manufacturers and distributors of alcohol beverages are bound to continue to promote their vested interests by supporting ineffective ‘educational’ programs and obstructing the implementation of effective legislative measures such as tax increases and advertising restrictions,” said Derek Rutherford, Chair of Global Alcohol Policy Alliance.
“At this summit we have the ridiculous state of affairs whereby representatives of the pharmaceutical industry and the food and drink industry will be speaking as civil society. The WHO needs to clearly recognise the differences between industry lobbyists and pubic interest NGOs and develop meaningful rules to manage the potential conflicts of interest that arise when engaging with the private sector,” said Indrani Thuraisingham, Consumers International.
“Sky-high rates of obesity and overweight among children and adults in developed countries are spreading to many emerging economies with calorie-dense, nutrient-poor salty, sugary, fatty foods. Meek requests for further voluntary forbearance by the food, drink, and advertising industries are no substitute for regulatory limits on advertising to children,” said Professor Shiriki Kumanyika.
(1) The Conflict of Interest Coalition Statement of concern has been endorsed by 143 national, regional and global networks and organisations working in public health, including medicine, nutrition, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, mental health, infant feeding, food safety and development - including four Royal Colleges of Paediatrics and Child Health, Physicians, Midwives and General Practitioners.
The statement can be found here: http://info.babymilkaction.org/news/policyblog/COIstatement
The statement has also been endorsed by 1,293 individuals. http://www.onemillioncampaign.org/
Spokesperson Contacts in New York City
Centre for Science in the Public Interest, Canada (CSPI-Canada) is an independent health advocacy organization with offices in Ottawa and Washington. CSPI's advocacy efforts are supported by more than 100,000 subscribers to the Canadian edition of its Nutrition Action Healthletter, on average, one subscribing household within a one block radius of every Canadian street corner. CSPI does not accept industry or government funding and Nutrition Action does not carry advertisements. Contact Point in New York City: Bill Jeffery, LLB, National Coordinator, Mobile/Text: 1-613-565-2140; bjeffery@cspinet.ca ; Skype at: billjeffery2447337; http://www.cspinet.org/canada/foodstrategies.html Follow me this week on Twitter at BillJefferyCSPI
Consumers International (CI) is the only independent global campaigning voice for consumers. With over 220 member organisations in 115 countries, we are building a powerful international consumer movement to help protect and empower consumers everywhere. Contact point in New York: Indrani Thuraisingham, CI’s head of Asia Pacific and the Middle East. Mobile +601 2205 2277. E-mail indrani(at)ciroap.org
Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (GAPA) is a developing network of non-government organizations and people working in public health agencies that share information on alcohol issues and advocate evidence-based alcohol policies. Contacts in New York: Derek Rutherford: drutherford@ias.org.uk, mobile +44-7710235164; Dr. Sally Casswell, Chairperson of the Scientific Advisory Panel: s.casswell@massey.ac.nz, mobile +64-21655346 Øystein Bakke, Secretary: oystein.bakke@forut.no ; mobile +47-41622135; and George Hacker, ghacker@cspinet.org, mobile +1-202-746-9210.
International Association for Consumer Food Organizations (IACFO) is an association of non-governmental organizations that represent consumer interests in the areas of nutrition, food safety, and related food policy matters. IACFO was formed in 1997 to increase consumer representation in the debate over the global food trade and to work with international agencies responsible for harmonizing standards related to the production, distribution, and sale of foods. IACFO regularly participates, as a recognized observer, in meetings of committees of the Codex Alimentarius Commission and meetings convened by the World Health Organization, the World Trade Organization, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. IACFO’s members also represent consumer interests before government regulatory agencies on five continents and release reports examining current nutrition policy and food safety issues. Contact Point in New York: See info, below, for CSPI and IBFAN.
International Association for the Study of Obesity (IASO) is a not-for-profit organisation linking over 50 regional and national associations with over 10,000 professional members in scientific, medical and research organisations. It is an umbrella organisation for 52 national obesity associations, representing 56 countries. Its mission is to improve global health by promoting the understanding of obesity and weight-related diseases through scientific research and dialogue, whilst encouraging the development of effective policies for their prevention and management. Contact in New York: Shiriki Kumanyika, PhD, MPH at skumanyi@mail.med.upenn.edu ; mobile: 1-267-252-1642
International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) consists of public interest groups working around the world to reduce infant and young child morbidity and mortality. IBFAN aims to improve the health and well-being of babies and young children, their mothers and their families through the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding and optimal infant feeding practices. IBFAN works for universal and full implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitute and Resolutions. Contact Point in New York City: Patti Rundall at prundall@babymilkaction.org; mobile: 44-0778-6-523493. website: http://info.babymilkaction.org/node/458
National Heart Forum (NHF-UK) is a leading charitable alliance of 70 national organisations working to reduce the risk of avoidable chronic diseases—coronary heart, disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, respiratory disease, and cancer. Our purpose is to co-ordinate public health policy development and advocacy among members drawn from professional representative bodies, consumer groups, voluntary and public sector organisations. Contact in New York: Paul Lincoln mobile +44 7946 433215; paul.lincoln@heartforum.org.uk Skype: paul.lincoln; Modi Mwatsama: mobile +44 7941 694995; modi.mwatsama@heartforum.org.uk ; Skype: modi.mwatsama Follow me this week on twitter at ModiMwatsama
World Cancer Research Fund International (WCRF International) Working with leading research scientists, policy makers and health professionals, WCRF International is committed to making cancer prevention a reality. It is the not-for-profit umbrella association that leads and unifies our WCRF global network of cancer charities dedicated to funding research and education programmes into the link between food, nutrition, physical activity, weight maintenance and cancer risk. The national charities are based in the US, UK, Netherlands, Hong Kong and France. WCRF International was created to maximise the potential of each national member, and by building a network of cancer charities, strengthen the global cancer prevention message. With the belief that greater impact can be achieved when allied organisations work together, WCRF International operates to ensure that each of its charities is in a stronger position than if it were operating in isolation. Contact Point in New York: Kate Allen, PhD at k.allen@wcrf.org; mobile: 44-07766-600-940. Follow us on Twitter at WCRFInt
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UNICEF celebrates Global Breastfeeding Week by taking the message beyond health clinics
7 August, 2011 - 10:12 — PattiPRESS RELEASE
UNICEF celebrates Global Breastfeeding Week by taking the message beyond health clinics
NEW YORK/GENEVA, 30 July 2011 - During World Breastfeeding Week, UNICEF joins global partners in calling for the benefits of breastfeeding to be broadcast beyond clinics and delivery rooms to the public at large, ensuring that young people both in the developing world and in wealthier countries understand the importance of breastfeeding long before they become parents.
Breastfeeding is directly linked to reducing the death toll of children under five, yet only 36 per cent of infants under six months old in developing countries are exclusively breastfed.
“With so much at stake, we need to do more to reach women with a simple, powerful message: Breastfeeding can save your baby’s life,” said Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive Director. “No other preventive intervention is more cost effective in reducing the number of children who die before reaching their fifth birthdays.”
The powerful benefits of breastfeeding for child survival, growth and development are well known. Scientific evidence has shown that breastfeeding could lead to a 13 per cent reduction in deaths of children under five if infants were exclusively breastfed for 6 months and continued to be breastfed up to one year.
Breastfeeding also plays an important role in preventing stunting (low height for age), a condition that can cause irreversible physical and cognitive damage, and which is viewed as a key indicator reflecting inequities in society. Given its critical importance, UNICEF firmly supports all efforts to accelerate comprehensive efforts to improve breastfeeding rates globally, in every country and with a particular focus on reaching the most disadvantaged and hard to reach populations.
“Breastfed is best fed, whether the baby is born in Uganda or England, China or Canada,” said Lake.
Women generally have received information about the importance of exclusive breastfeeding when they go for antenatal care visits, or after they deliver their babies. That is why community health networks should have staff that not only possess updated knowledge and skills to support mothers to start breastfeeding, but also offer guidance and clarification on how to sustain exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and to continue to breastfeed until two years or beyond.
Yet, while breastfeeding rates in the developing world are on the rise in two-thirds of countries with trend data, millions of infants are not benefiting from this life-saving practice.
It is clear that a broader audience of advocates needs to be cultivated using new and creative ways to communicate with mothers and families. Raising awareness beyond the confines of the maternity ward is critical to reach these broader audiences, including children and young people.
UNICEF embraces the idea of using all possible means of communication and encourages others to do the same, using the opportunity of World Breastfeeding Week to trigger action the whole year round.
This year’s celebration emphasizes the role that every member of society can play to raise awareness about breastfeeding – a natural and nurturing start to life for infants and mothers. It also emphasizes that communication on breastfeeding should take advantage of non-traditional and newer communication tools such as social networking, blogs, mobile phone technology, the arts and flash mobs.
About UNICEF
UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org
For more information, please contact:
Kate Donovan, UNICEF New York
Tel + 212 326 7452
kdonovan@unicef.org
Links to WBW stories:Working nursing mothers and the challenges of exclusive breastfeeding
BY EPHRAIM SHEYIN August 6, 2011 09:25PM
http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5737980-146/story.csp
Marixie Mercado
Spokesperson
Division of Communication
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
5-7 Avenue de la Paix 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
phone: +41 22 909 5716 fax: +41 22 909 5908
mobile: +4179 756 7703
email: mmercado@unicef.org
website: www.unicef.org
.
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WHO, UN poised to allow corporations input in global public health decisions
16 June, 2011 - 22:00 — Patti
WHO, UN poised to allow corporations input in global public health decisions
Recent reports show UN Agencies increasingly beset by corporate influence, lacking oversight
United Nations General Assembly 16th June
NEW YORK – Despite clear conflicts of interest, corporations like Coca-Cola and Nestlé could be included in a high-level meeting aimed at protecting the health of millions of people across the globe. Today’s Civil Society Interactive Hearing on Noncommunicable Diseases provides input to the fall high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as the growing crises of tobacco and nutrition-related diseases that kill millions of people every year. The influence of profit-driven global corporations in these proceedings may mean that new policies promote private interests instead of public health.
Corporate Accountability International, Baby Milk Action, the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), the Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals (NATT), and the International Association of Consumer Food Organizations (IACFO) support the call for urgent action to address the growing crisis of noncommunicable diseases, particularly epidemics of tobacco- and nutrition-related diseases which remain the two primary causes of preventable death globally, and encourage the establishment of clear and enforceable rules that limit private sector involvement and influence over public health policy and outcomes.
“If we are to reverse the staggering rates of preventable illness and death, the WHO and UN must safeguard public health policy from conflicts of interest,” said Gigi Kellett, a campaign director with Corporate Accountability International. “A fox guarding a hen house is a fox guarding a hen house. The global community has removed the tobacco industry’s seat from the tobacco control table due to its history of interference in policy. It’s time we hold other industries contributing to or profiting from today’s public health epidemics similarly accountable.”
Commercial interests are colliding with issues of public health. In March 2011, the UN Joint Inspection Panel (JIU), an independent oversight body, released a review of the UN Global Compact Office and the UN Office of Partnerships. The review raised significant concerns about the Global Compact’s ability to ensure its corporate partners are meeting their own voluntary guidelines and not merely using their association with the UN as ‘bluewashing’ – an attempt to promote corporate policies or products as socially responsible. These findings echo similar concerns raised by civil society groups around the world.
“The global corporations, which are largely responsible the problems that the UN is now trying to address, are desperate to reposition themselves as forces for good in society. Being grouped together with the UN and public interest NGOs in these meetings increases their power and influence over UN policy setting,” said Patti Rundall, policy director for Baby Milk Action, the UK member of IBFAN. “Member States, especially those with limited resources, have no time to waste time on unsustainable, unaffordable and ineffective solutions like so-called public-private partnerships, voluntary self-regulated pledges or industry sponsored education programs. They need encouragement to take effective legislative action to control harmful food marketing, ensuring that consumers receive truly independent information.”
The WHO has enacted strong safeguards to prevent corporate conflicts of interest in relation to tobacco. For example, Member States continue to make strides protecting public health policy against interference from the tobacco industry due to implementation of Article 5.3 of the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Article 5.3 establishes the tobacco industry’s fundamental conflict of interest with public health, encourages governments to reject partnerships with industry and avoid ‘revolving doors’ between industry and regulators. The WHO estimates that, when fully implemented, this groundbreaking treaty will save 200 million lives by 2050.
“FCTC safeguards are a powerful tool to challenge the deadly health crisis of tobacco addiction,” said Philip Jakpor of Environmental Rights Action/Nigeria. “Already, countries such as Thailand and Colombia have used the treaty to keep Big Tobacco out of the room when crafting national health laws, ultimately saving millions of lives.”
In addition, the WHA resolutions on Infant and Young Child Nutrition and the Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health can be used among other helpful tools to establish measures that also go beyond individual conflicts of interest and address institutional conflicts of interest.
“It’s critically important to ensure that no companies or industry associations acquire privileged opportunities to advance their member’s commercial interests in policy advising roles,” said Bill Jeffery, spokesperson with the International Association of Consumer Food Organizations (IACFO). “Transparency is an inadequate tool for correcting such conflicts of interest, especially when it is possible for conflicted advisors to obstruct consensus in advisory or standard-setting functions.”
# # #
Corporate Accountability International, formerly Infact, is a membership organization that protects people by waging and winning campaigns challenging irresponsible and dangerous corporate actions around the world. For 30 years, the organization has compelled corporations—like Nestlé, General Electric and Philip Morris/Altria—to halt a range of abuses. Corporate Accountability is an NGO in Official Relations with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and has Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
The Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals (NATT) includes more than 100 NGOs from more than 50 countries working for a strong, enforceable Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
The International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) consists of public interest groups working around the world to reduce infant and young child morbidity and mortality. IBFAN aims to improve the health and well-being of babies and young children, their mothers and their families through the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding and optimal infant feeding practices. IBFAN works for universal and full implementation of the International Code and Resolutions.
The International Association of Consumer Food Organizations (IACFO) has nearly 2 million members and is a growing association of non-profit, non-commercial organizations to press for improved food- and nutrition-related public laws and company practices on five continents. One IACFO member, the Centre for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), publishes the world’s largest-circulation health newsletter—Nutrition Action Healthletter—with nearly 1 million subscribers globally, mainly in North America.
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Infant Milks in the UK
13 June, 2011 - 07:55 — Patti
New report: Infant Milks in the UK
April 2011. The report Infant Milks in the UK is available to download
This report was compiled by Helen Crawley and Susan Westland of the BFLG member, Caroline Walker Trust. It highlights the lack of objective information available to health professionals about the composition and monitoring of infant milks available in the UK and the weakness of systems to monitor and regulate infant formula. CWT hope that the recommendations will be considered by the relevant health departments and professional bodies of the UK, as well as by the manufacturers of infant milks.
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WHO: Members' pressure leads to more inclusive reform process - Third World Network summary
12 June, 2011 - 12:59 — Patti
Third World Network
WHO: Members' pressure leads to more inclusive reform process
SUNS #7163 Monday 6 June 2011
Nestle violates UN resolutions by Launching its new BabyNes feeding system in Switzerland
25 May, 2011 - 13:00 — PattiBaby Milk Action press release 25 May 2011 (also see Campaign blog: Nestlé's brave new world)
Nestlé is embarking on a new violation of World Health Assembly marketing requirements for breastmilk substitutes after refusing earlier this month to stop the vast majority of violations in the latest global monitoring report, presented in Geneva.
Nestlé is press releasing and publicising a new baby bottle feeding preparation system, BabyNes in an idealising and misleading way, describing it as: "The first comprehensive nutrition system for babies." The World Health Organisation recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life, followed by continued breastfeeding into the second year of life alongside complementary food. The International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent, relevant Resolutions of the World Health Assembly forbid the promotion of all breastmilk substitutes including formulas, feeding bottles and teats in ALL countries - a fact that Nestlé and all the baby food companies ignore, abiding by the rules only when forced to do so by national legislation or when publicly exposed.
The new product clearly aims to increase Nestlé's profits from products which already have one of the highest markups on the supermarket shelves.
Nestlé says the ‘state-of-the-art technology’ is based on its Nespresso coffee machine, stressing its convenience and safety but playing down the inherent risks which relate not only to the shortcomings in the formula itself, but to the water, the bottles, teats and to the many problems caused by not breastfeeding. (1) The system does not follow WHO guidance (right) which requires all water - even bottled water - to be boiled before being added to powdered infant formula at no less than 70 degrees C. This important decontamination step is needed because powdered formulas may be intrinsically contaminated with harmful pathogens, such as Enterobacter sakazakii (2) or Salmonella enterica serotype agona.
Such a complicated system - like the Nespresso machine - seems also to need a 24-hour after sales service - assuring Nestlé contact with mothers - something that is totally forbidden by the World Health Assembly requirements which also warn that infant feeding information should be free from conflicts of interest. (3)
Patti Rundall, OBE, Policy Director of Baby Milk Action, says:
“If this new very expensive and environmentally wasteful system was an important advance in consumer safety - Nestle should provide health workers with scientific and factual information which would enable them to properly evaluate its benefits or risks. Instead Nestle promotes it in press releases, on its website, in YouTube adverts and on Facebook, so that it is picked up worldwide. The claim that it provides the “utmost safety and convenience and is the first comprehensive nutrition system for babies” - is absurd. This role has been carried out by mothers far more safely and effectively since the human race began. It would have far more impact on the health of babies - including those fed on formula - if Nestlé stopped using promotional claims and brought its product labels into line with WHO requirements. This means warnings and instructions that alert parents to the many inherent risks of artificial feeding - including pointing out that powdered formula is not a sterile product that may contain bacteria. The powder in the capsule should be added to water at 70degrees. How can this be done and cooled in one minute?”
IBFAN's monitoring shows that Nestle continues to systematically violate the UN requirements all over the world unless there are laws in place to stop it. In response to the latest report, launched earlier this month, Nestle said it would stop only 4 of the highlighted examples (and only then after supporters of the Nestlé boycott had sent it thousands of emails), clearly indicating that it is intending to continue with 97% of the rest of the violations.
The latest State of the Code chart from IBFAN shows 67 countries have introduced legislation, but where this is lacking or ineffective companies should still abide by the Code. This promotion is clearly illegal in countries such as India which has fully implemented the Code and where a leading bottle and teat company has already been taken to court for press releasing information about its own ‘innovative’ feeding bottle and later pulled out of the market.
This week, Save the Children Australia, Oxfam, Care and 13 other Aid agencies working in Laos wrote a letter to Nestlé, about the company's continued marketing of formula which "still jeopardizes the health of infants and children in Laos."
For more information contact:
Patti Rundall +44 (0) 7786 523493
Mike Brady +44 (0) 7986 736179
Media coverage:
The Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/may/26/nestle-launches-machine-baby-milk
Nutraingredients http://www.nutraingredients.com/Industry/Nestle-launches-coffee-machine-style-infant-products
Nutraingredients: http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/view/print/377359
FOOD AND DRINK http://www.foodanddrinkeurope.com/content/view/print/377493
FINANCIAL TIMES LAUSANNE http://info.babymilkaction.org/sites/info.babymilkaction.org/files/14.11.FT LausanneBabyMes.pdf
REUTERS: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/25/nestle-babynes-idUSLDE74N24Z20110525
IRISH TIMES http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2011/0527/1224297854260.html
HUFFINGTON POST: Nestle Unveils BabyNes, A Nespresso-Style Machine For Baby Milk
INRUMOUR.COM http://www.inrumor.com/in/lifestyle/coffee-style-machine-launched-by-nestle-to-prepare-milk-for-babies/
MIDIRS http://www.midirs.org/Development/midwiferyweb.nsf/news/81089E652A6046878025789D003AFFCF?opendocument
PSFK (New York) http://www.psfk.com/2011/05/nestle-launches-coffee-style-machine-for-baby-milk.html/
Muy Interesanto http://www.muyinteresante.es/nestle-lanza-la-nespresso-de-los-biberones?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialoomph&utm_campaign=muy-interesante-twitter&utm_content=twitter+user+view
POPSOP (Russia) http://popsop.com/46420 http://popsop.ru/44374
BUSINESS INSIDER http://www.businessinsider.com/nespresso-2011-5
CARE 2 Blog http://www.care2.com/causes/health-policy/blog/nestle-ignores-critics-and-invents-new-formula-marketing-gimmicks/
SWISSINFO: http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/business/Baby_milk_Nespresso_machine_draws_fire.html?cid=30384120
TIME http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2076110,00.html
Revolution Daily News http://www.revolutiondaily.com/tag/baby-milk-formula/
Macleans http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/06/17/instant-bottle/
World Crunch http://www.worldcrunch.com/nespresso-babynes-feeding-your-baby-has-never-been-so-chic-or-so-stupid/3225
Notes:
User Manual for NesBaby: https://www.babynes.ch/Documents/PDF/Babynes-ANS_UserManual_V0-0-1_050411.pdf
NesBaby Advert http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcIvZky53jA&feature=player_embedded
1 Risks of Formula feeding - a Brief Annotated Bibliography by INFACT CANADA
Scientific Evidence of the Risks of not being breastfed. http://www.babymilkaction.org/shop/publications01.html#risks
2 Such contamination is intrinsic to the powdered formulas and was found in14% of tins of formula in a study cited by the US Food and Drugs Administration. Nestlé is well aware of such risks as it had to recall tins of formula across Europe in 2002 following the death of a child attributed to such contamination. This was one of the deaths that led to the WHO guidance available at: http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/micro/pif2007/en/index.html
Two consecutive large outbreaks of Salmonella enterica serotype agona infections in infants linked to the consumption of powdered infant formula. Brouard et al, The Pediatric infectious disease journal 2007, vol. 26, no2, pp. 148-152 [5 page(s) (article)] (26 ref.)
This French study states that: "Powdered infant formulas are not sterile products and may contain low levels of Salmonella. Routine biological controls are insufficient to detect a low grade of contamination, which may cause serious illness and outbreaks among infants"
http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=18488325
3 Article 5.5 of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutesstates: "Marketing personnel, in their business capacity, should not seek direct or indirect contact of any kind with pregnant women or with mothers of infants and young children."
3 World Health Assembly Resolution WHA 49.15 1996 urges Member States to
ensure that: "financial support for professionals working in infant and young child health does not create conflicts of interest."
World Health Assembly Resolution WHA58.32 2005 urges Member States:
1.4 "to ensure that financial support and other incentives for programmes and health professionals working in infant and young child health do not create conflicts of interest".
Para 1.3 of WHA58.32 also urges Member States: "to ensure that clinicians and other health-care personnel, community health workers and families, parents and other caregivers, particularly of infants at high risk, are provided with enough information and training by health-care providers, in a timely manner on the preparation, use and handling of powdered infant formula in order to minimize health hazards; are informed that powdered infant formula may contain pathogenic microorganisms and must be prepared and used appropriately; and, where applicable, that this information is conveyed through an explicit warning on packaging;
1.6 to work closely with relevant entities, including manufacturers, to continue to reduce the concentration and prevalence of pathogens, including Enterobacter sakazakii, in powdered infant formula;
Nestlé and FTSE4Good: In response to Nutraingredients, Nestlé stated: "We have the industry’s toughest system in place to enforce WHO Code compliance. Indeed, we are the only infant formula manufacturer listed by FTSE4Good, the London Stock Exchange’s Ethical Index." This misrepresents Nestlé being listed by FTSE4Good as there is no requirement that companies comply with the Code to be listed, they have only to present their policy statements and management systems. FTSE has yet to evaluate Nestlé's actual practices on the ground. IBFAN's comparison of company practices given in the State of the Code by Company charts show Nestlé to violate more provisions of the Code and Resolutions than other companies. See: http://info.babymilkaction.org/pressrelease/pressrelease21mar11
Civil Society Groups call on WHO, UN to protect water and reject corporate conflicts of interest
24 May, 2011 - 15:39 — Patti
State of the Code by Country: Thirty years of holding companies accountable
23 May, 2011 - 14:27 — Patti
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