The 3 Minute Activist
March of Dimes (July 6, 2020).

To: President Jennifer L. Howse, Ph.D Advocacy Joseph Luchok Michele Kling Director, National Media Relations WalkAmerica walkamerica@marchofdimes.com I am saddened to have learned that a formula manufacturer, Mead Johnson, was a sponsor of the 2005 March of Dimes WalkAmerica and that "Mead Johnson will disseminate a March of Dimes brochure to nearly 3 million new moms in 2005. The brochure contains important information central to the March of Dimes mission to improve the health of babies, with advice on topics such as well-baby care, immunization, folic acid, and newborn screening. The company will tag or co-brand its affiliation with WalkAmerica in a variety of marketing/promotional vehicles, including Mead Johnson's custom publications (focused on prenatal and early postnatal care)..." Such sponsorships by the makers of breast-milk substitutes are contrary to the mission of the March of Dimes! March of Dimes's philosophy has always been to offer hope and education to fragile, sick newborns and their parents. This endorsement sends the wrong message to parents as well as to health care professionals. It leads to the perception that your group has endorsed both the company and its products. Such endorsement of Enfamil and Mead Johnson's "follow on formulas" has been shown to interfere with independent advice by health professionals who guide parents in decisions about infant feeding. Formula feeding a premature infant is harmful when the mother is able to breastfeed. The American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) states: 1) "Human milk is species-specific, and all substitute feeding preparations differ markedly from it, making human milk uniquely superior for infant feeding", 2) "human milk-fed premature infants receive significant benefits with respect to host protection and improved developmental outcomes compared with formula-fed premature infants", and 3) "Hospitals and physicians should recommend human milk for premature and other high-risk infants either by direct breastfeeding and/or using the mother's own expressed milk." http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;115/2/ 496 Breast milk is well recognized as the most healthy form of nutrition for all babies. For critically ill infants, breast milk can mean the difference between life and death. Among premature and sick infants, study after study confirms that formula feeding has inherant high risk factors. Premature infants fed formula are 6-10 times more likely to develop a common and often life-threatening illness called necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) than their breastmilk-fed peers. Complications of NEC include bacterial infection of the blood, hypoxic portions of the gut that sometimes must be removed, and death of the baby. Premature infants who receive formula have been shown to remain in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) longer than breastmilk-fed premies, and those fed formula are at an increased risk of any kind of infection - including the potentially devastating infectious condition: meningitis. The risks of formula feeding go on... (For example see a summary at: http://www.somersetmedicalcenter.com/110302.cfm) Please consider conflicts of interest, especially with regards to what is best for premature infants. Please cancel Mead Johnson's sponsorship and reject such sponserships in future campaigns. In addition please ensure that there are no displays or advertising of Mead Johnson's breast-milk substitues on WalkAmerica registration forms or other "handouts". Sincerely,
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