Ethical advertising needed.

I would like to add my name to the list of people conveying their concern re your decision to accept advertising from artificial baby milk (formula) companies. Overseas professional literature is rampant with it so I guess it was only a matter of time until someone was enticed into accepting their advertisements in this country.

As someone who organises conferences and workshops and has edited a professional journal, I know how hard it is to produce these in a cost efficient way. Accepting money from advertising and sponsorship is necessary to pay the bills, but please consider what's ethical. It's very tempting and not easy to get it right. Some companies have no qualms about unethical advertising or the effects of their products. They can usually afford to hire smart lawyers and marketing personnel, and they may make billions of dollars at our expense (and the expense of future generations).

I question how much relevant information health professionals would gain from an advertisement in Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand or any other professional journal. I believe the aim behind the ad is brand recognition and product promotion. Why else does anyone advertise? I would also suspect there are very few people in the nursing profession who need to know the specifics about a particular brand of artificial baby milk. If they do, they should meet individually with the company representative and, at the same time, refrain from accepting free samples, unless undertaking formal research.

I agree your readers may need information on the World Health Organisation International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and subsequent World Health Assembly resolutions. However, the code is not legally binding in this country. It does form the basis of the Baby Friendly Hospital and Baby Friendly Community Initiatives. More important than understanding the words in the code, are the principles underlying it. So this is not an "anti-formula" issue. It would be great if people understood that this is a debate about non-ethical marketing practices and has nothing to do with the legality of or even the actual product.

I ask you to reconsider your decision to accept advertising of formula, bottles, teats and dummies in our journal.

Bev Pownall, RN, RM, BSci (Hons), Auckland