Sunday, December 28, 2003

NPR : Breastfeeding Campaign Questioned "

A new advertising campaign designed by the Department of Health and Human Services encourages women to breastfeed infants. It also warns of the potential health risks of not breastfeeding. The American Academy of Pediatrics questions some of the campaign's health risk claims and scare tactics. NPR's Rachel Jones reports. " [This is a good early warning. The formula industry's tactic is to create the impression that the content of the ads is controversial (the science isn't shaky; they use the questionable technique of "scare tactics", etc.). This obfuscates the real stories - 1) the industry has co-opted US pediatricians in their battle for market share and 2) women are still not being informed of the risks breastfeeding - the risks to their health, and to that of their babies - JC]