UAE to regulate marketing of breast milk substitutes

"The UAE is seeking to endorse a draft bill to encourage breast-feeding. Efforts are underway to issue a national draft resolution in conformity with the 'International Code on Marketing Breast-milk Substitutes' that imposes regulations on marketing and promotion of breast-milk substitutes to ensure protection of infants," said Dr Hajir Al Housani, Director of the Central Maternity and Child Care Department at the Ministry of Health.

She told Khaleej Times the law will streamline marketing regulations, taking into consideration vulnerability of infants and risks involved in inappropriate feeding practices, including improper use of breast-milk substitutes.

It will also ensure proper use of breast-milk substitutes when necessary on the basis of adequate information and through appropriate marketing and distribution, she added.

Based on commercial profits, marketing, selling and distribution of breast-milk substitutes and "weaning food" or "breast-milk supplement" which is insufficient to satisfy the infant's nutritional requirements, had been lately on the rise.

The proposed law stipulates there should be no advertising or other form of promotion to the general public of breast-milk substitutes, including infant formula, other milk products, foods and beverages, including bottle-fed complementary foods when marketed or otherwise represented to be suitable, with or without modification, for use as a partial or total replacement for breast-milk.

Manufacturers and distributors should not provide, directly or indirectly to pregnant women, mothers or members of their families samples of the mentioned products, it states. Marketing personnel should not seek direct or indirect contact with pregnant women or mothers of infants and young children. The law also bans use of health care facilities for the purpose of promoting infant formula or other products. Donations or low-price sales to institutions or organisations of supplies of infant formula or other products, should not be used by manufacturers or distributors as sales inducement, according to the proposed law.