• Prof Anna Coutsoudis (Dept of Paediatrics and Child Health, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal)
• Prof Hoosen Coovadia (Reproductive Health and HIV Research Unit, University of Witwatersrand, Durban)
• Judith King (Independent consultant and associate of the Dept of Paediatrics and Child Health, UKZN)

“Higher IQs”     “Allergy prevention”     “The best nature has to offer” “Just the right amount”  “Disease resistance”   “Bone builders”

These are just some of the false health and nutritional claims made in adverts and labels for formula milk products by multinational baby food companies. To maintain their high profits, these companies persist in ignoring World Health Organization standards for infant feeding and the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes.The formula milk industry relies on aggressive and misleading marketing to persuade mothers that their products are as good as, if not better than, breastmilk. This has caused an alarming global decline in breastfeeding practice and promotion, and tainted or non-sterile products have resulted in illness and deaths among children across the world.We need key strategies to ensure ethical policy formulation around infant feeding choices. This Forum will present the factual and scientific evidence you need to join the call for active branding of breastfeeding as the best way to nourish our children, and for our government to enforce the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes.

The presentation from this forum can be downloaded here

This forum came about as a result of the ground-breaking research and guidelines as espoused in the recent Lancet article. The Lancet article can be read here