WHO Code Compliance
Infant Formula and other products within the scope of the Code:
The service must be able to confirm that any supplies of infant formula and other products
are bought at wholesale or more than 80% of the retail price. All purchase records must be available for the assessors to view.
If applicable, there must be a policy on infant formula rotation and how the selection of formulas, to be purchased, is managed. Infant formula must be stored out of sight inaccessible to the general public.
The Policy:
The service must have a written policy which identifies the person(s) a formula company
representative can have contact with when visiting the service. Marketing personnel will be denied contact with pregnant women, mothers and their families.
The policy must state that pregnant women and non-breastfeeding mothers will be taught individually about formula feeding and that all educational materials for them (including the labels) explain:
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the benefits and superiority of breastfeeding |
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the social and financial implications of the use of infant formula |
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the health hazards of unnecessary or improper use of formula |
Infant formula company literature must only be used for professional education and must contain only scientific and factual information. This information must not be presented in a way that implies (or creates a belief) that bottle-feeding is equivalent or superior to breastfeeding.
The service, the health care providers and other workers, must not advertise or promote products (identified in the scope of the Code) to the general public. No words or pictures are to be displayed in the service, which idealise the use of these products, including pictures of infants on the labels of products.
Formula samples must not be given to pregnant women, mothers, or their families.
Free supplies, gifts, materials, money or subsidised supplies, from formula companies, must not be accepted by the health care providers/the service/organisation or practice.
Samples can only be given to health workers if they are to be used for professional evaluation or research.
If ‘gift bags’ or packs are given out by the service to mothers, which contain baby and personal care products, the policy must ensure that they contain nothing that might interfere with the successful initiation and establishment of breastfeeding, for example, feeding bottles and teats, pacifiers and infant formula.
The Health Service must achieve a pass in all applicable questions relating to the WHO Code Compliance |
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