Here is a copy of what I emailed back... For the record, the part about "formula causing all sorts of health risks...etc." I do NOT agree with, but I thought my email would sound stronger if I copied the material provided from the "INFACT Canada" site. I think to say that formula "causes" these health risks is quite extreme, I think that bfing may "lower" certain risks but ffeeding does not "cause" or "increase" these risks IYKWIM? I totally think that bfing or ffeeding should be a mom's choice and no one should push her one way or the other. However, many moms in the initial stages of bfing have an extremely difficult time with not much support, pain, fear of doing it right, etc., that it would only take one can of free formula with these ads to push her over to formula, and I don't think this is right. I was ticked that in her response, she said they will remove me from their mailing list but I might still get stuff in the mail for a while! It will be interesting to see what she replies...
Natalie,
I appreciate being removed immediately from the mailing list, especially since I did not ask to be placed on it to begin with. Please note however, that it will be UNACCEPTABLE to mail me additional items from your company so I will appreciate every effort being made to ensure that I do NOT receive additional free formula or coupons or such in the future.
In addition, you did not respond to my comment about the marketing of your product, the fact that Mead Johnson has false information on the carton of formula that you sent me in the mail. To show a picture of a baby drinking your formula from a bottle with the caption “you want him to have the best start” and “our closest formula to breast milk” (we know no formula is close to breast milk), and “you want her to be healthy, nourish your little one with a free sample of Enfamil A+” (I personally found this statement to be shocking, as formula potentially causes all sorts of health issues such as increased risk of cancers, asthma, ear infections- if anything, there should be a warning label on formula). This is false advertising. This, along with sending me the free formula in the mail to begin with, all goes against the terms of the WHO’s International Code of Marketing breast milk substitutes. In case you are unaware, Canada has endorsed this.
I look forward to your reply. Specifically, how you will back up and explain your claims on the carton (and why it does not state on the carton “breast milk is best”), how you will ensure this does not happen in the future, and what Mead Johnson will be doing, going forward, to comply with the World Health Organization’s International Code.
