Editorial Discusses U.S. Opposition To U.N. Breastfeeding Resolution

Winston-Salem Journal: Our view: The U.S. vs. breastfeeding
Editorial Board

“…During a recent meeting in Geneva of the United Nations-affiliated World Health Assembly, a resolution reinforcing that a mother’s milk is healthiest for children and encouraging countries to limit inaccurate marketing of alternate products met strong opposition from the United States’ delegation, the New York Times reported. … [T]he U.S., in its constant business-before-health-and-environment mentality, didn’t like the idea of doing anything that might affect the manufacturers of infant formula … The Department of Health and Human Services, which had led the opposition to the language, … issued a statement that said in part that ‘women should have the choice and access to alternatives for the health of their babies, and not be stigmatized for the ways in which they are able to do so.’ Nobody suggested otherwise. The World Health Assembly resolution only suggested the best possible path according to the best possible medical information. American officials should not undermine good health information in such a heavy-handed way to serve business interests” (7/20).

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