****This is an ongoing situation and the post below will be updated as needed. Please comment or email us with additional resources to be added****
Many of you have read the New York Times article regarding the United States’ opposition to the breastfeeding resolution during the recent World Health Assembly. While USLCA works on formal response, here are some ways to get involved:
Read USLCA’s joint statement here.
Contact the State Department and Health and Human Services and the delegation that attended the WHA this year to communicate your position.
- The Secretary of Health and Human Services was in the delegation. Alex Azar,1-877-696-6775, Secretary@HHS.gov
Write to your senators and representatives. Click here to find contact info for your area.
Contact the White House. Phone number 202-456-1111
Below are sample letters for adaptation (thank you to Marsha Walker and Heather Harris.)
Dear xxx,
I am writing to express my deep dismay regarding the actions taken by the US delegation to the 2018 World Health Assembly in its aggressive stand against the proposed language of the breastfeeding resolution. The United States has invested considerable time, effort, and funding in endeavors to improve the health of the nation through programs and policies that promote and support breastfeeding. The Healthy People 2020 breastfeeding health objectives are a case in point. However, the opposition to the 2018 WHA breastfeeding resolution stops short of a third necessity, which is the protection of breastfeeding from the predatory marketing engaged in by the infant formula industry. The language in the breastfeeding resolution in support of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes was significantly weakened by outright threats to countries who brought it forth. This confrontational posturing and outright bullying of member delegations on a world stage is reprehensible, abhorrent, and an international embarrassment. It neutralizes our work in this country to improve the nation’s health and positions the US as a pariah regarding public health efforts worldwide. It is time to stop putting corporate interests above public health and I respectfully request that the US cease engaging in threats and bullying behavior and start supporting and protecting the health of its citizens.
Sincerely,
Dear representative/whoever,
I have read today in the NYTimes about the US delegation to the World Health Assembly concerning the International Code Of Marketing for Breast-milk Substances. I was appalled at learning that not only did the US delegation not support wording calling on the government to “protect, promote, and support breastfeeding” and restrict food products other than breastmilk, it in fact bullied (threatening removing aid and introducing punishing trade measures) the sponsoring country of Ecuador into dropping the resolution.
Breastfeeding is a public health issue. It effects everyone and is important for our world and our countries’ health. On our government’s own site is listed the many benefits including lower asthma, diabetes, SIDS, and many more.https://www.womenshealth.gov/…/making-decision-breastfeed. As a country we should be doing everything we can to promote and protect breastfeeding.
Please speak against this action by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Sincerely,
If you want to reach Alex Azar, the comment line phone number is 202-205-5445. If you call the 877 number listed above for him (I’m assuming he’s a he), you will have to listen to a long menu only to be told to call that number.
We now know who is advocating for big business! We need to step up our efforts to advocate for the Millions of US children and their mothers who will not benefit from breastfeeding as a result of unethical marketing by formula companies. It would be interesting to see how many of these companies top executives or their wives choose to formula feed their children?
What an ignorant thing to do, to not endorse such a vital and FREE source of a newborn’s health. Who influenced your decision? I ask who, because it certainly wasn’t the facts of science.
The companies that produce infant formula were involved in supporting the U.S. proposed changes to the WHO resolution. It seems appropriate that they be named as part of that effort. I am particularly concerned as poorer countries with sometimes questionable water supplies and a population without adequate funds to buy enough formula for an infant would have seen babies put at risk if the changes had been adopted.
In a time of world strife and global crises of many types, including crises exacerbated by political concerns, I have become less and less surprised by the tragedies playing out on the world stage. Nevertheless, somehow, I have now been surprised by an attack on a scientifically-supported and basic, fundamental, human right and function. I did not think this war was over, but I did think the settled science and well-accepted best practices advocated in the supposedly developed country where I live placed us on the side of the better angels. This action by the US is shocking and sickening, and the bullying of smaller countries, along with the barely-disguised hand of the formula industry, makes it clear that these actions were not accidental. This is evil at work. All breastfeeding advocates and informed citizens should speak out and take action.
agreed
Thank you. I will send another letter to my rep now.
This is not time to wait , this is tine to act.
Our representatives need to know our concerns and we MUST let them know how disappointing it is what has been done.