News Room

In response to questions about the Office on Women’s Health / Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) campaign to promote breastfeeding, the International Formula Council has developed the following statement:

• The International Formula Council (IFC) and each of its members strongly support the positive, accurate promotion of breastfeeding and are pleased that, through a concerted effort by the health community, government and industry, recorded breastfeeding rates in the U.S. are the highest they have been in over 30 years.
  
  
• The IFC underscores the statement made by the U.S. government’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): "HHS strongly recommends and encourages women to breastfeed exclusively for six months. But it understands that there are mothers who are unable to breastfeed or shouldn't breastfeed. Infant formula is safe and nutritious for those women who are not able to breastfeed. In fact, the federal government is a large distributor of infant formula through various programs, such as the Women, Infants, and Children program.”  (Note: about 50% of infants in the U.S. receive formula from the government through the WIC program.)
  
  
• The IFC supports the American Academy of Pediatrics’ position, which states that for those mothers who cannot or choose not to breastfeed, iron-fortified infant formula is recommended.
  
  
• Recent reports regarding the science related to the alleged risks of not breastfeeding may unduly alarm mothers or make them feel guilty for not breastfeeding. Specific issues about infant formula need to be put in a proper scientific context; the science in many cases is inconclusive. For example, a study which shows a decreased risk for certain diseases/illnesses from breastfeeding does not necessarily translate to an increased risk from infant formula.
  
  
• Mothers can be reassured to know that they are not harming their babies by feeding them infant formula. Despite the aggressive promotion of breastfeeding, the U.S. Government (Dept. of Health and Human Services) emphasizes that infant formula is the only safe, nutritious, and recommended alternative to breast milk if a mother cannot or chooses not to breastfeed.
  
  
• Research shows that mothers know breastfeeding is best, and that positive support is what works to increase breastfeeding.  The IFC and infant formula companies are committed to working with HHS and other interested parties to develop and communicate positive, factual information about the importance of breastfeeding, as well as address critically important issues such as how to overcome the true barriers to breastfeeding.
  

*IFC is an international association of manufacturers and marketers of formulated nutrition products (e.g., infant formulas and adult nutritionals) whose members are predominantly based in North America. IFC members include all U.S. manufacturers: Mead Johnson Nutritionals; Nestle USA, Inc., Nutrition Division; PBM Products; Ross Products Division, Abbott; Solus Products; and Wyeth Nutrition.

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