Multinationals Violate Law in Selling Formula Milk in Asia

Multinational companies in Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, China and several other countries in the region, sell baby formula, aggressively, to the point of breaking the law, an Associated Press investigation reveals.

International guidelines that promote breastfeeding and recognize it as the best formula for infants are being violated. AP says. According to their report, it seems that health officials, doctors and medical regulators are paid by these companies to help promote their products. It was also reported that some practitioners "approach mothers and health care workers at health facilities" -- which is of course contrary to International law on breastfeeding The aggressive marketing of such baby food is a common gesture in some parts of the Asian Region. The International Code Documentation Center confirmed the claims of such malpractice. "The health workers there were part of the marketing arm for those products," Jean-Marc Olive, a representative for the World Health Organization and a former health worker in the Philippines described the conditions in the archipelago. Consequently, AP also claims that commissions were paid to doctors to sell formula milk. Companies, however, denied such allegations.