LATCH -QTV ads for 2010

Finally got the L.A.T.C.H. QTV ads from our President Buding. Check them out and enjoy!

More on the Recall and Press Advisories from Arugaan and IBFAN

I was quite disappointed to receive an email from Nanay Ines yesterday that FDA Acting Director Nazarita Tacandong recanted and said that it is safe to use the recalled Mead Johnson products. Meanwhile, in L.A.T.C.H.'s Facebook page, one of the fans posted that their doctor told them that the low fat content in Sustagen and Alactagrow is nothing to worry about since kids get fat from their meals.

Mead Johnson was also quick in damage control and their Philippine website now shows a message from their President:

All of our products currently sold in the Philippines, including Alactagrow and Sustagen Junior, have passed stringent Philippine FDA health and safety requirements and are considered to be safe for consumption and of high quality. While the fat level requirement does not relate to the safety or quality of the product, Mead Johnson is taking steps to meet that requirement also.

Mead Johnson is launching today a reformulated version of Alactagrow that meets the new regulatory requirements. Work is underway to develop an updated version of Sustagen to meet the revised standards.

I think the real issue here is deceptive marketing to consumers. Isn't it strange for Mead Johnson to say that there is nothing wrong with their products YET released a new formulation for both Sustagen and Alactagrow Bibo? They might argue that hey, the new formulation is a response to the new regulatory requirements. Continuously, new ingredients in breastmilk are being discovered resulting in constant changes in minimum formula requirements. This just supports the position that despite what the formula companies say, formula can never equate breastmilk.

I'd like to share the Press Advisories of Arugaan and International Baby Food Action Network below.

Press Advisory

Save the Babies Statement

Contact Person: Ines A. Fernandez cp 09088888153

Protest on Recalled and Recant of Mead Johnson Products

Save the Babies Coalition registers our rage over the recant of the Acting Director Nazarita Tacandong of Food and Drug Administration in last night TV newscast September 22, 2010 saying "It is safe to use these products".

The Recall on the dangerous products of Mead Johnson's Alactagrow Bibo trio and Sustagen Jr. bespeak of its nutrient defieciency of fat contents. It showed that Mead Johnson wrongly disseminated its nutritional and halth claims of "resistensiya builders" and "all around health".

It is a case of misbranding.

Mead Johnson cheated the Filipino consumers.

Based on scientific evidences upheld by Codex Alimentarius that fatty acids deficiency affects the nervous system and brain developmemt of the infants and young children.

Furthermore, Sustagen Jr. product certification registry at FDA - Food and Drug Administration already expired last May,2010 due to non-compliance of Codex Alimentarius and Philippine laws.

Our Constitional law protects us in its aim that " Anything that endangers the life of an individual is a criminal act".

Both Mead Johnson President Paul Richards and FDA Acting Secretary is responsible and accountable for gross deception to the Filipino people.

PRESS ADVISORY

INTERNATIONAL BABY FOOD ACTION NETWORK (IBFAN) STATEMENT

CONTACT PERSON: Velvet Roxas 0915-7741614

RE: DOH and FDA ADVISORY 2010-010:

Product Recall Order For Alactagrow Bibo Trio Milk Supplement Covered by Registration No. FR-71538

The International Baby Food Action Network urges the FDA to fully implement the Product Recall Order for Alactagrow Bibo Trio Milk Supplement, manufactured by Mead Johnson covered by Registration No. FR-71538.

Infants and young children are our most vulnerable consumers and deserve the utmost protection from harmful products. Such protection is vital for milk products marketed for older infants and young children and intended to support growth and development.

The failure of Alactagrow Bibo Trio Milk Supplement to provide the fat content of 3 to 6g. per 100 kcal. as set by FDA regulations and the Codex STAN 156-1987 for milk supplements, potentially puts older infants and young children at serious risk for undernutrition related to insufficient fat intake.

Fats in the diet of older infants and young children are critical because they are essential for brain and neurological development. Brain and neural growth remains rapid during the second year of life. As well, fats have 2.5 times the energy density of carbohydrates and proteins and therefore are critical to providing adequate energy for growth.

Alactagrow has no added fats; hence the only fats present are those from the whole milk powder, which as the 4th listed ingredient, after skim milk powder (no fat) and corn syrup solids and sucrose, is likely to be minimal. Indeed the total fat content as determined by the FDA is a mere 1.34g. per 100 kcal.

The deception and misrepresentation of the label is confounded by the confusing and contradictory messages regarding the recommended age for the use of this product – which on the one hand states 1-3 years old and on the other hand states that a milk supplement should not be introduced before the sixth month. This conveys the clear message that the product is suitable for infants after 6 months. The need for essential fats for infants between the ages of six to 12 months is even greater, so this increases the risk to health.

The product is primarily a fat reduced milk powder, with sugar, fortified with minerals and vitamins. An expensive product that is deficient in the essential level of fat required by older infants and young children.

Since milk (unmodified with added sugars and reduced fats) remains the most important component of a young child’s diet providing:

· 55% of energy - 9-11 months

· 40% of energy - 12-23 months

The marketing of Alactagrow by MJ is fraudulent, misleads parents and risks less than optimal growth and development, especially brain and neurological development for older infants and young children.

Thus we urge FDA to enforce a full recall of Alactagrow Bibo Trio Milk Supplement Covered by Registration No. FR-71538 and any other milk products that violate the nutritional and labeling standards of the Codex-STAN 156-1987, the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and relevant WHA resolutions.

===========================

Contact Persons:

Velvet Roxas, IBFAN and Arugaan (0915-7741614)

Ma. Ines Av. Fernandez, Save Babies Coalition (0908-8889153)

Atty. Ipat Luna, Health Justice (0928-5048265)

2 Mead Johnson Products in the Philippines are Recalled

Two Sundays ago, Mead Johnson paid for a cover story in the Sunday Inquirer Magazine to feature their "Feeding Hope" program.A couple of days after that feature, our Food and Drug Administration issued 2 advisories recalling Mead Johnson products - Sustagen Junior Milk Drink Powder Vanilla Flavor (for toddlers 1-3 years old) and Alactagrow Bibo Trio Milk Supplement under Advisory Nos. 2010-009 and 2010-010, both issued on on 16 September 2010.

Under Advisory No. 2010-009, Sustagen Junior is being recalled because of its non-compliance with the standard fat content level (3-6 grams per 100 calories) for milk supplements. Testing showed that Sustagen Junior's fat content is at 1.5g per 100 calories - clearly at a substandard level.

Meanwhile, under Advisory No. 2010-010, FDA declared that tests also showed that Alactagrow

Bibo merely had 1.34g per 100 calories of fat content - also at substandard level.

Interestingly though, labels of both products didn't clearly state the fat contents of their products or that they were within the required levels. Sustagen's label stated that fat content was at 5.9 g per 100g (392 calories per gram), while that of Alactagrow Bibo was at 5.1g per 100 g (380 calories per gram).

The average consumer wouldn't really understand if this is within the required level as stated by the FDA.

However, the 2 advisories clearly stated that upon testing, fat levels of the 2 products are non-compliant with the standard level of quality. This morning, the Mead Johnson representative, who was being interviewed in the morning news, kept harping on (1) how this was a 3rd class recall; (2) the recall shouldn't have been made public and that they were caught by surprise; and (3) their products passed all the minimum standards. I wouldn't be surprised on how Mead Johnson will deal with this recall given their underhanded marketing tactics to undermine breastfeeding efforts and implicitly (sometimes not even!) influencing mothers to think formula milk is as equal to breastmilk and to choose that instead!

If you have purchased these 2 recalled products, better contact Mead Johnson to return then. Consumers of these products are children from 1-3 years old and can actually just choose to drink fresh milk instead. Read THIS POST on why formula milk is not necessary for toddlers.

Sleeping with the Enemy?

Have you seen the Sunday Inquirer Magazine last 12 September 2010? The cover is entitled: "Mead Johnson Nutrition - Feeding Hope to an Impoverished World". It was a paid advertisement by Mead Johnson with a story about how Mead Johnson partnered with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and an NGO - Kabisig ng Kalahi Foundation to implement a Feeding Hope Program. A couple of days earlier, a feature article in Manila Bulletin also expounded the benefits of this program. Strangely though, when you go to the online version of the Sunday Inquirer Magazine, the Cover Story is not included in the list of articles for the 12 September 2010 magazine. I am again reminded of Nanay Ines' comments that the milk companies spend as much as $4B on ads and marketing campaigns.

According to the President of Kabisig ng Kalahi Vicky Wieneke, "[t]he Feeding Hope program of Mead Johnson Nutrition fits well with our mission of working arm in arm with fellow Filipinos to assist in providing children from poor communities with their nutritional needs. (emphasis mine)

But what is the Feeding Hope program? It is a "back-to back hot meal and milk drinking program implemented in modules among groups of 30 children. The program runs for six months, with the meals given six days a week. Mothers prepare the meals and feed the children together. In the community-based supplemental feeding program, malnourished children are provided with hot meals, milk, medical check-ups and treatments. Mothers are immersed in seminars and workshops that teach them about health, sanitation and parenting. The sessions also include spiritual values formation, natural family planning, and livelihood tips, among other information."

I'm happy to read that livelihood tips are also include but I still can't help but be reminded of that adage - that it is better to teach a man to fish than to give him fish. I am very much concerned with the milk drinking program and provision of the milk for 6 months. Sure, for 6 months, the mothers won't have to worry about where to get milk (as I'm sure Mead Johnson has the budget to give it away for free!). But after 6 months, Mead Johnson's investment will start to pay off as mothers will now be buying milk (and MJ's Lactum has milk formula for kids even over 6 years old!). Plus, there is no mention of whether MJ is providing milk formula for babies below 12 months.

This feeding program (as well as Nestle's Bear Brand campaign) emphasized that milk needs to be a diet staple in order to be healthy. I am again reminded of Nanay Ines' presentation on indigenous foods - locally available foods are better sources of nutrients that are provided by milk.

It makes me wonder if it would be better to teach mothers how to make use of the indigenous foods or cheap foods locally and immediately available within their vicinity to provide nutritious meals to their families. The objectives of the Feeding Hope program are laudable but its partnership with Mead Johnson taints its commendable objectives. I can't help but think that it is but part of Mead Johnson's marketing strategy - bait and hook moms to ensure that milk (MJ formula in particular) remains to be a constant part of their children's diet ensuring a steady supply of revenue for the company.

Some other questionable marketing tactics of milk companies include: Babble.Com's partnership with Similac in its Breastfeeding Guide and WebMD's Breastfeeding Guide sponsored by Gerber/Nestle. I find that this campaign of Mead Johnson falls squarely into this list.

*Thanks Zeka for the heads-up.

Natural Parenting and the Working Mom

Welcome to the September Carnival of Natural Parenting: We're all home schoolers
This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have shared how their children learn at home as a natural part of their day. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.
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At 33 months, Naima has been in school for almost 1 year. She started just before she turned two and regularly attends morning classes. Happily, with the help of my yayas, Naima's learning doesn't end when she comes home from school.
In the Philippines, we have "yayas" or nannys to take care of our children. Whether you are a working mother or not, among the major concerns of a Pinay pregnant mom is being able to find a good yaya for her unborn child. In fact, this has resulted in several local books including I Love You Yaya and The Yaya Manual, all geared towards helping moms find the perfect yaya addition to their household.