Physicians, formula companies, and advertising. A historical perspective
F. R. Greer and R. D. Apple
Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin, Madison.
The recent advent of new advertising campaigns for infant formulas aimed at
the general public via television commercials, newspapers, free formula
coupons, and lay periodicals has disrupted a comfortable symbiotic
relationship between infant food manufacturers and the medical profession
that has endured for more than 50 years. In the late 19th century,
physicians were concerned about the advertising claims of these products
and generally felt that indications and directions for their use should be
the province of the physician. Between 1929 and 1932, the American Medical
Association, through its Committee on Foods and "Seal of Acceptance,"
essentially required the entire formula industry to advertise only to the
medical profession. Since 1932, the US formula industry has developed into
a $1.6 billion market. In 1988, Nestle (absent from the US infant formula
industry since the 1940s) acquired the Carnation Company and launched an
advertising campaign to the general public for its formula products.
Bristol Myers/Mead Johnson, in cooperation with Gerber Products Company,
quickly followed suit. These actions threaten to once again remove the
realm of infant feeding from the exclusive supervision of the medical
profession. The new multimedia public advertising campaigns may increase
the cost of infant formula to the general public and have a negative impact
on the incidence of breast-feeding. In addition, formula advertising
campaigns will likely increase the danger of advertising hyperbole and
affect the level of financial support by formula companies for scientific
meetings, medical research, education, and social events at medical
meetings.
