Formula Company Sponsored Events

The SMA Know-How maternity & infant Awards 2012 will take place on Friday, November 16th at the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin, and televised on TV3 in early December.

This event targets expectant and new parents. Allowing a formula company to sponsor such an event violates the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes.

Note: Nestlé have taken over the Pfizer Nutrition business, brands include SMA. Nestlé is one of the four most boycotted companies on the planet.

The SMA Know-How People Awards include the following categories:

Midwife of the Year

Obstetrician of the Year

Nurse of the Year

Paediatrician of the Year

Lactation Consultant of the Year

Most codes of ethics or conduct of health professional associations discourage involvement in marketing to patients/clients and encourage providing high standards of care.

The International Code 5.1 There should be no advertising or other form of promotion to the general public of products within the scope of this Code.” Subsequent resolution Forty-ninth World Health Assembly May 1996 says that governments should “ensure that ...financial support for professionals working in infant and young child health does not create conflicts of interest, especially with regard to the WHO/UNICEF Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative.”

Article 7. Health workers : 7.1 Health workers should encourage and protect breastfeeding; and those who are concerned in particular with maternal and infant nutrition should make themselves familiar with their responsibilities under this Code, including the information specified in Article 4.2.

Note; The nominees for Midwife and Lactation Consultant of the Year declined their awards due to formula company sponsorship.