Caribbean - IBFAN

Breaking the Rules, Stretching the Rules 2004
� Company reps and health workers distribute gift packs
with samples of Enfalac, Enfalac A+ or Enfapro to
mothers in health facilities in Thailand. Mothers are
required to give their particulars to the company
to facilitate future contact.
� An ad in the Thai Medical Times claims Enfalac is
the only formula that research shows can increase MDI
(Mental Development Index) scores 7% higher than
those in babies not on Enfalac.
� Mead Johnson hands out gift bags to mothers at health
facilities in Thailand which include the ‘Smart System:
birth – 6 months’
booklet, Smart System
Programme Guide, registration
form for Smart System
and stimulation development
materials, and a
200gm box of Enfapro.
� When mothers or nurses order Enfalac in Malaysian
hospitals, the product gets delivered with a gift pack
containing samples of EnfaMama, a towel with the
company logo,
nappies, baby
books and leafletspromoting
the entire
Enfa range.�
� In the Maldives the company distributes calendars,
pens, educational materials and free samples to health
workers.
� In Trinidad and Tobago free samples of Enfamil
LactoFree are given to
mothers at health facilities.
Book marks from “Enfamil
Family of Formulas” list
the “101 ways to praise a
child” and show 6 Mead
Johnson formula products.
IBFAN -- International Baby Food Action Network
MEAD JOHNSON
� In China, health education boards in hospitals bear
the Mead Johnson logo. Company reps distribute free
samples of Enfamil to mothers; calendars with the
Enfamil and Enfapro brands, note pads and pens to
health workers.
� Health facilities in the Dominican Republic display
products with the Enfamil brand and mothers receive
free samples of Enfamil from health workers and
company reps.
� In Mexico the label for
Enfamil AR states
that the product is designed
specially for infants
with physiological
reflux problems,
whereas breastfeeding
is the best
method to deal with
this problem.�
Labelling
� Article 9 of the Code requires labels to NOT discourage
breastfeeding and to inform about the correct use of the
product and the risk of misuse.
� WHA Resolution 54.2 (2001) advises exclusive
breastfeeding for 6 months which means that the
recommended age for use of complementary foods cannot
be under 6 months.
� Enfamil Prematuros in Peru competes with
breastmilk by claiming it is a complete formula
which promotes good visual and mental development.
� Mead Johnson’s Enfamil label in Indonesia encourages
mixed-feeding by recommending it to be used to
complement breastmilk for infants under 12 months.
It also recommends complementary food for babies
above 4 months.
� In Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic the
Enfamil Lipil label idealises the product by claiming
that the DHA and ARA composition is closest to
that of breastmilk.�
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