"Formula for Disaster."

In the early 1990's I lived in the Philippines for a year. I loved it. It's a gorgeous, diverse country, and I made some wonderful friends.

It's also a battleground in the fight against aggressive marketing practices used by pharmeceutical companies to promote formula in developing countries. A new film by UNICEF Philippines called "Formula for Disaster" tackles this topic. The film is broken into five parts on YouTube, and I linked to the third part.

In most developing countries there is a strong culture of support for breastfeeding. But in the Philippines that tradition is falling apart. According to the WHO, the length of exclusive breastfeeding has declined from an average of 1.4 months in 1998 to just 24 days in 2003. Only 16% of babies are exclusively breastfed for 4-5 months.

Here in the U.S., where the question of "breast vs. bottle" is framed in terms of choice, we tend to forget that in the developing world, where water supplies are often contaminated, infant feeding is often a question of life or death. The WHO says that in the Philippines 16,000 child deaths per year are attributable to inappropriate feeding, including the used of infant formula.

The Philippines has a "milk code" which prohibits aggressive marketing practices, but violations are rampant. And recent efforts to strengthen the code were met with opposition from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. You may recognize a few of the tactics because they're used here, too.

"Formula for Disaster" is part of a multi-pronged effort to "restore the breastfeeding culture" in the Philippines, which includes creating "breastfeeding friendly malls" and the recent record setting national nurse in.

Thanks to blog reader Alexis, who works at UNICEF Philippines and keeps a personal blog on breastfeeding in the Philippines, for alerting me to the new film!

Comments

[Tanya Lieberman]

Sent by email:

Wow. I'm almost speechless. I'm so disgusted by the blatant milk code violations shown in this film. I definitely recognized some of logos and marketing tactics. The situation in the Philippines is sad and the marketing tactics used by milk companies there and here in the US are maddening! I have even more respect & admiration for the organizers & participants of the national nurse in that took place in the Philippines recently than I did prior to viewing this film series. Way to go nursing mamas!!!

-Beth

[Tanya Lieberman]

Beth,

I feel the same way - it's a huge uphill battle.

Here's an article I just found from this week on the same topic, but in Bangladesh:

http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2079864,00.html

-Tanya

[Tanya Lieberman]

And one more, a radio piece from Canada:

http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2007/200705/20070516.html

[rValley]

It has been a five hanky morning for me...I was moves so deeply by these videos that I left a comment on Alexis' blog offering to help in any way I can and I hope there is a place for me as a humble photographer to help in the places that need good information most.

Tanya...I was curious if I can link these videos on the Mother Culture site?

Rachel

[Tanya Lieberman]

Rachel,

Absolutely you can link to the videos! I know that UNICEF Philippines would love any more exposure they can get for the issue.

Tanya

[rValley]

I put all five videos on Mother Culture

Thanks Tanya!

[Hope]

I am really mad after reading an article regarding the misleading advertisement of milk companies in the Philippines, especially about the US Chamber of Commerce writing to the President of the Philippines asking her to re-think about implementing the ban of mis-leading adverts as it may destroy the image of the Philippines as a stable economy to invest in (doesn't that sounds like a threat?)

I hope there is something we can do here in developed country to put pressure on these companies.