Hi,
For a long time the Maternal and Child health
nurses conference in Victoria have been sponsored by Wyeth. This
year, in my opinion, they made a quantum leap. Wyeth ran the whole thing -
took the registrations etc.
In early September (after a number of letters) the
Australian Breastfeeding Association, Victorian Branch met with the CEO of the
DHS and an advisor to the Minister for Children, Sherryl Garbutt. Sadly,
we were completely stonewalled. There was not a flicker of the
understanding of the situation. We were told that about 500 Maternal and Child
health nurses attended - and loved it, and they certainly wouldn't be stopping
the practice anytime soon! Though they are tendering it out so other
companies (formula companies?) have an opportunity to participate. The
people we met with seemed genuinely unable to distinguish between marketing and
philanthropy, and didn't believe that their nurses would be swayed by promotions
like this. (Though there is plenty of evidence that Doctors and indeed the
general public are influenced by these marketing strategies. And
apparently everyone loved the lunch!
I understand how frustrating it is to feel like you
are complaining and nothing is happening. But it does. For Instance,
last year the Maternal and Child Health nurses conference run by the Special
Interest group of the ANF accepted massive formula co sponsorship in
Melbourne. ABA (and other groups) made representation to them on this
issue. The sponsorship prospectus for the same conference in Sydney in
2007 clearly explains that formula company sponsorship is not welcome.
Bounty bags have become completely WHO code compliant - no formula advertising,
no toddler milk advertising, no bottle and teat advertising. Last week the
toddler Karicare muck *won* the parentsjury awards for smoke and mirrors
advertising.
I think a copy of your complaint should always go
to your local MP with a request for it to be sent on to Tony Abbott with a
please explain.
Another place to get support and network in to
other people's ideas is on the Australian Breastfeeding Association's
forums. If you go to www.breastfeeding.asn.au and follow
the links you should be able to find it OK,
If people send me their e-mail addresses I can send
the program for the Vic Maternal and Child health nurses conference
Warm Regards,
Barb
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Re: [ozmidwifery] was I need to vent!!! now WYETH???
Barbara Glare & Chris Bright Fri, 20 Oct 2006 16:44:33 -0700
- [ozmidwifery] I need to vent!!! Kelly @ BellyBelly
- Re: [ozmidwifery] I need to vent!!! Janet Fraser
- Re: [ozmidwifery] I need to vent... jesse/jayne
- RE: [ozmidwifery] I need to ... Kelly @ BellyBelly
- Re: [ozmidwifery] I need to ... Barbara Glare & Chris Bright
- Re: [ozmidwifery] I need... Helen and Graham
- [ozmidwifery] was I need... Janet Fraser
- Re: [ozmidwifery] w... jesse/jayne
- Re: [ozmidwifer... Barbara Glare & Chris Bright
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- Re: [ozmidw... Barbara Glare & Chris Bright
- Re: [ozmidw... Jackie Kitschke
- Re: [ozmidwifer... Andrea Quanchi
- RE: [ozmidw... Kelly @ BellyBelly
- Re: [ozmidw... Barbara Glare & Chris Bright
- Re: [ozmidw... Helen and Graham
- Re: [ozmidw... Pinky McKay
- RE: [ozmidw... Shaughn Leach
- Re: [ozmidw... Barbara Glare & Chris Bright