The United States Lactation Consultant Association appeals to the AAP to reconsider the financial relationship spotlighted by the recent announcement of sponsorship for the book Pediatric Nutrition (8th Edition) by the Nestle Nutrition Institute.
As an organization of healthcare professionals dedicated to the support and provision of evidence-based infant feeding education and clinical care, we are deeply concerned about the barriers caused by this conflict of interest. There are many families whose only feeding guidance comes from their pediatrician. In light of all of the reforms that have taken place in medicine to reduce commercial influences in the field, this type of relationship is an outdated and unsavory way for Nestle to continue that influence.
This type of partnership discredits the important work of the AAP. The information provided by an organization with the level of global esteem enjoyed by the AAP should be objective, trustworthy, and entirely dedicated to the promotion of optimal health, and that is severely tainted by partnership with a commercial entity whose sole fiduciary responsibility is to its own stakeholders (i.e., no duty to promote public health). It offers the appearance that the AAP is not working alongside other health care professionals for optimal health outcomes, but instead with companies whose objective is to sell products. The negative impact of a partnership with a commercial influence is present even if the content of the publication does not directly demonstrate evidence of commercial influence.
As lactation care providers, our daily interactions with new and expecting families reflect a need for trustworthy and credible health information from organizations which work on behalf of the public’s health. The concept of public health mandates that the information and care we offer is based on the global body of objective, scientific evidence. We expect that all publications from health organizations be free of the influence of commercial interests whose products are in conflict with the promotion of public health, and we call on the AAP to join us by reconsidering and ending sponsorship of its publications by them as well.
Sincerely,
USLCA Board of Directors and other concerned parties
USLCA invites you to get involved! Email info@uslca.org to sign-on to this statement.
Joint supporting organizations:
- Arizona Breastfeeding Center
- Baby Cafe Bakersfield
- Baby Cafe USA
- Breastfeeding USA
- California Advanced Lactation Institute
- Central Valley Lactation Association
- Elizabeth C. Brooks, JD IBCLC (LLC)
- Gallo Birth Services
- International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners
- Lactation Training Lab
- Mama’s Latte, LLC
- South Mississippi Breastfeeding Coalition
- Southern Arizona Lactation Consultant Association
- Wisconsin Association of Lactation Consultants (WALC)
Joint supporting individuals:
- Allison Laverty Montag, BA, IBCLC
- Amber Ziring, MPH, MSW, IBCLC
- Andrea Kurtzman, RN, MScA, IBCLC
- Ann Grauer, IBCLC, AdvPCD/PDT(DONA), AdvCD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE
- Bianca Wooden, IBCLC
- Brook Cook, IBCLC, CBS, CPPD, CPD (CAPPA)
- Cassandra Wonderly, RN, C-EFM, IBCLC
- Cathleen Walker, MA, RNC, IBCLC
- Christine Staricka, BS, IBCLC, RLC, CCE
- Crissi Blake, RN, BSN, IBCLC, RLC
- Danielle Harmon, MPH
- Diane Hosmer, RN MSN IBCLC
- Dixie Whetsell, MS, IBCLC
- Dominique Gallo, BS, IBCLC, RLC
- Ginna Wall, MN, RN, IBCLC
- Erika Costanzo, BS, CLE
- Heather Harris RN, IBCLC
- Irina Sukhanova, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, IBCLC
- Jackee Haak, RN, BS, IBCLC
- Jeanne Wade, CMA, CLC, CLE, CD
- Jennifer Abdul-Rahman, BSN, RN, IBCLC
- Jennifer Hafele, IBCLC
- Joan E. Dodgson, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN
- Joanna Kreyling, APRN, IBCLC
- Johanna Iwaszkowiec, IBCLC
- Karina Mazur, RN, BSN, IBCLC
- Laura Ciulla, RN, PHN, IBCLC
- Lauryl Ramakrishnan, MSN, CPNP-PC, IBCLC
- Lisa Brock, RN, BSN, IBCLC, RLC
- Liz Brooks, JD, IBCLC, FILCA
- Lisa Lopez, RN, MSN, IBCLC
- Marta Hunt
- Megan K. Oggero, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, IBCLC
- Michelle Stulberger, MHA, IBCLC, RLC
- Mindi Wiechman BSN RN C-EFM IBCLC
- Mireya Gonzalez, B.A, CLE
- Moira Tannenbaum, MSN, CNM, IBCLC, RNC-LRN
- Nicole Setliff, IBCLC
- Nina Isaac, MS, CCC-SLP, IBCLC, RLC
- Nina Simpson, BS, IBCLC
- Noreen Carver, RN, BSN, IBCLC, RLC
- Rebecca Matthys, IBCLC, RN, BA
- Sibylle Rundel, IBCLC
- Susan Stocking Harper
- Suzanne Schumann, IBCLC
- TJ Marsh, IBCLC
- Veronica Hendrix, LVN, IBCLC, RLC
- Vickie R. Nizin, IBCLC
The AAP is and should be one of the most respected professional organizations in the world. However, the acceptance of funding from not only a formula company, but Nestle, is truly a slap in the face for their promotion of breastfeeding advocacy.
The AAP continues to jeopardize their professional standards standing in the infant care field by the affiliation with formula companies such as Nestle. Please find different funding sources for this publication.
Melinda Kiely BSN, RN, RNC-MNN, IBCLC
The AAP should absolutely remain independent of companies that profit from the sales of formula.
It confusing and upsetting for AAP members to hear about a child health agency that advocates separating COVID-19 positive/pending mothers from their healthy babies, against the recommendations of the World Health Organization, the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, and the US Breastfeeding Committee. Especially when that agency’s major sponsor is an infant formula manufacturing company.
Thank you Ginna Wall for sharing this information.
I’ve been boycotting Nestle products since the 1970’s and I find the AAP’s partnership with Nestle absolutely shameful.
Sarah Tyack RN, BSW, IBCLC
I am an AAP member. The AAP should have declared its independence from formula companies long ago. It is time to stand up and do the right thing!
Cherie Price, PA-C, IBCLC, LCCE
You tell ’em, Cherie!
It is appalling to find out AAP takes money from Nestle. Why has this relationship continued and to whose benefit?
I agree with the above statement. The AAP should remain independent from a company that sells formula.
Rebecca Matthys IBCLC, RN, BA