Caribbean - IBFAN

Mead
Peter R. Dolan
Chairman and CEO
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
345 Park Avenue, New York,
NY 10154-0037, USA
Tel: +1 212-546-4000
URL: www.meadjohnson.com
www.enfamil.com, www.bms.com
IBFAN -- International Baby Food Action Network
ead Johnson, a subsidiary of Bristol-Myers Squibb claims to be
the world leader in infant formulas with its Enfamil family of
Johnson M formulas. Worldwide sales reached $721 million in 2003.
The company is very proud of its Enfamil Lipil infant formula launched
in January 2002 and said to be the first to contain DHA and ARA in the
US. However, in January 2003, Mead Johnson recalled 505 cases of the
product distributed to hospitals, stores and clinics in the US due to
Products include:
FORMULA:
Alacta, Alacta NF, Enfamil 1 + 2,
Enfamil A+, Enfamil AR, EnfaCare,
Enfamil Lipil, Enfamil Lipil with Iron,
Enfamil Premium, Enfamil LactoFree,
Enfamil Prematuros, Enfamil Soya,
Enfalac, Enfalac A+, Enfalac HA,
Enfapro, Enfapro 2, Enfapro Premium 2,
Prosobee, Progestimil, O-Lac and
Nutramigen.
Logos & Icons:
Since 2001, Mead Johnson has been
working with design experts “to
upgrade and reposition” its “Enfa”
products so that they will be easily
recognisable throughout the world. Like
its previous sketches of babies, the new
brand design encompasses infant
formula, cereals and toddler food.
New designer
labelling focusses
on Enfa and the
blue bow.
In some markets, Peter Rabbit, Beatrix Potter’s
famous children’s character, is still used as a
graphic and idealises bottle feeding.
contamination by Enterobacter sakazakii. In March 2004, Pregestimil
HA was recalled in Canada because of an error in scoop size which could
lead to over-concentration and hence to diarrhoea and dehydration.
The claims about Enfamil Lipil (and Enfalac A+ and Enfapro Premium)
containing DHA & ARA are deceptive. Mead Johnson says they
improve eyesight and intelligence... These long chain fatty acids are
naturally present in breastmilk in perfect amounts; absorption rates from
commercially manufactured fatty acids may not match at all. Canada’s
Food Inspection Agency (FIA) investigated the truth of these claims
and in April 2004, the FIA asked Mead Johnson to terminate the claims
forthwith! Prosobee, the soy formula was withdrawn from the New
Zealand market several years ago, following widespread concern over
long-term risks of its use.
Intense competition with rival Abbott resulted in increased advertising
spending. Among the promotions is a sweepstakes offering 20 college
scholarships, each worth $25,000 to be won weekly from January 2004
until May 2004. Parents are to see their paediatrician to enrol in the
sweepstakes. The lucrative baby formula market in the US, worth over
$486 million to Mead Johnson, prompted the company to stall a federal
breastfeeding ad campaign end 2003. The campaign emphasised the
risks of not breastfeeding (different from the usual trumpeting of the
advantages of breastfeeding). Mead Johnson and Abbott-Ross joined
forces to pressure the government to drop or dilute the campaign. Close
ties with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in the form of
annual grants and sponsorship is believed to be behind AAP’s support
for the industry stand (see Introduction for deletions in the campaign).
Bristol-Myers Squibb committed $115 million for a 5 year ‘Secure the
Future’ programme which was supposed to aid millions of African
women and children in need of AIDS medication. The Washington Post
reported that 77% of the money went to US-based charities and medical
research institutions mostly in order to silence criticism of the
programme. Only a few thousand AIDS victims are said to be reached
by the PR effort which may, incidentally, have helped prepare the
ground for Mead Johnson formulas.
Promotion to the public
� Article 5.1 of the Code prohibits advertising and
all other forms of promotion of products under the
scope of the Code.
� An advertisement for Enfapro in a Mexican
magazine encourages mothers to buy the
product by saying “Your baby is worth
everything”.�
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