Why would the charity Tommy's think it's a good idea to "team up" with Aptamil?!

[tabouleh]

Tommy's and Aptamil's midwifery training grants.

Unbelievable.

It gets the Aptamil logo onto Tommy's website.

Tommy's should be encouraging BFing not giving space to a formula company on its website and sposoring midwives!

Aptamil must be so pleased with themselves.

Good campaigning and emailing to Tommy's!
This is incredibly damaging to their brand.

Ethical marketing of formula milk protects all babies - breastfed babies and formula fed babies.

Formula fed babies need their brand chosen for them (as it is by parents, often on the basis of a recommendation by an HCP) because of open, honest, detailed information about contents and suitability. Not because the midwife has had a bursary paid for by a manufacturer.

This has nothing to do with midwives being 'too intelligent' to resist any 'pressure'. This is to do with human behaviour. Our attitudes and behaviours are affected in sometimes subtle ways by this sort of marketing (by any sort of marketing).

Ooh tiktok, I was beginning to think you'd died (not seen you around recently.. or am I just in the wrong threads?)

(just a bit busy with other stuff, jem - and not dead :) )

Got an answer from Tommy's. Would be interested in views.

Dear lizzytee

Thank you for your email.

We respect your views and have made a record of them.

We have a policy on the acceptance/refusal of donations and this should
explain our position in relation to this project.

Regards,

Tommy's

Extract from policy:

Policy on Acceptance/Refusal of Donations

The Trustees of Tommy?s have undertaken to set out a policy on the acceptance and refusal of donations so as to be transparent with the public about the funding of its work in preventing miscarriage, premature birth and stillbirth.

The Trustees of the charity take responsibility for decisions relating to whether a donation is accepted or refused. Decisions are made based on the following criteria:

1. it is in the best interests of the charity and will assist in the goals of the charity
2. do not undermine the key areas of the charities activities which are pregnancy medical research and providing pregnancy information
3. do not damage the reputation of the organisation and potential future funding
4. promote any trustee or employee?s personal moral agenda

Tommy?s Trustees and directors meet three times a year to monitor the charity?s activities and funding.

Policy regarding specific industries

Baby Milk manufacturers

We support that breastfeeding is necessary for the healthy development of babies. Tommy?s also recognises in the case of premature babies it is not always possible to follow this best practice and help is required in the form expressed breast milk from mother or from a donor or the use of specially formulated pre-term infant formula.

We are aware of the both the UK?s and WHO?s code in relation to marketing of infant formulas and will not enter into initiatives which contravene these.

We will accept financial donations from milk manufacturers to fund our medical research programmes (finding the causes and treatments for miscarriage, premature birth and stillbirth) and improve the skills and knowledge of health professionals for their work with women who have suffered a miscarriage, had a premature baby or have had a stillborn baby. This includes breastfeeding education.

We will not provide direct endorsement of infant milk products e.g. logo on packaging or promotions which promote infant formula instead of breastfeeding. No infant feeding products or product information will be passed onto any beneficiary of our training grants nor will personal data be passed onto a milk manufacturer.

We do not believe this industry contravenes with our charitable cause, aims and goals ? determining the causes of miscarriage, premature birth and stillbirth and finding treatments so as to reducing the number of babies who die due during pregnancy or at birth; provide the latest pregnancy information for health professionals and parents-to-be to minimise risks during pregnancy and where we can, helping to improve skills of those caring for pregnant women to ensure a healthy pregnancy.

Recognition of support will be agreed where we feel it is appropriate and does not contravene guidelines. This may take the form of for example, in press releases, at conferences and on websites.

on first glance the things that jump out at me are... Surely the logo on their website is "direct endorsement" ...and...is the training to contain info as inaccurate/misleading as that on the aptimil website?

Tbh it's still all just very dodgy

...my thoughts too MFM. Will sleep on it.