REPOST: Baby Milk Action Network
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 for infants and young children should not “sponsor meetings of health professionals and scientific meetings.” Likewise, health workers, health systems, health professional associations and nongovernmental organizations should not “allow such companies to sponsor meetings of health professionals and scientific meetings”.
The draft sponsorship policy includes rationale, overall commitment, types of sponsorship, and review plan. It states that Associations may add to the policy in terms of scope or covered activities as appropriate. It is important to note that the scope of the International Code of Marketing Breastmilk Substitutes also covers feeding Bottles and Teats.(1)
World Health Organization. (2024). Sponsorship of health professional associations by manufacturers and distributors of commercial milk formula: case studies. https://doi.org/10.2471/B09083
World Health Organization. (2024). Sponsorship of health professional associations by manufacturers and distributors of commercial milk formula: model policy. https://doi.org/10.2471/B09120
World Health Organization. (2024). Sponsorship of health professional associations by manufacturers and distributors of commercial milk formula: alternative funding resources for events. https://doi.org/10.2471/B09113
SOURCE: New Sponsorship resources from WHO | Baby Milk Action