27 May 2020 --- A report is calling for new legal measures to prohibit the promotion of breast milk substitutes to health workers and in health facilities. Released by the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN’s Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), the report states that countries are falling short in their efforts to stop the harmful promotion of breast milk substitutes. This is amplified as COVID-19 leaves an opening for the breast milk substitute industry to “capitalize on the crisis.” The agencies argue that the pandemic is highlighting the need for stronger legislation to protect families from false claims about the safety of breast milk substitutes or aggressive marketing practices.
