 After completing this session

participants will be able to:

 summarize the main points of the

Philippine Code of Marketing of
Breast-milk Substitutes (E.O.51)

 describe how the Philippine Code of

Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes
(E.O.51) helps to protect breastfeeding
 All manufacturers promote their
products, to try to persuade people to
buy more of them. Formula
manufacturers also promote their
products, to persuade mothers to buy
more formula.
 This promotion undermines women's
confidence in their breast milk, and
makes them think that it is not the
best for their babies. This harms
breastfeeding.

3 mins
 cont ….Objectives

 Breastfeeding needs to be protected

from the effects of formula promotion.
One essential way to protect
breastfeeding is to regulate the
promotion of formula, nationally.

 Individual health facilities and health

workers can also protect breastfeeding,
if they resist letting companies use
them to promote formula. This is an
important responsibility.
Main Points Of the Milk Code
1. Health workers should promote and
protect breastfeeding, and help women
initiate, sustain and maintain
breastfeeding (Public and Private)
2. No donations of products (breastmilk
substitutes and other products) covered
by the Law
3. No promotion in the health care system
(private and public)
4. No free samples to mothers
5. No gifts to health workers (private and
public)
cont
Main Points Of the Milk Code
6. No company personnel/med rep/milk rep to
advise/educate/inform mothers/pregnant women
7. All advertising of breast-milk substitutes and
other covered products to the public should be.
8. No pictures of infants and young children, or
other pictures idealizing artificial feeding, on the
labels of the products.
9. Information to health workers should be
scientific and factual.
10. Information on artificial feeding, including that on
labels, should explain the benefits of
breastfeeding and the costs and dangers
associated with artificial feeding.
1. Giving mothers company-produced
leaflets about breast-milk substitutes
can affect infant feeding practices.
2. Breast-milk substitutes include formula,
teas, and juices (as well as other
products)
3. The International Code and MBFHI
prohibit the use of formula for infants in
maternity wards
4. Health workers can be given any
publication or materials by companies
as long as they do not share these
publications with mothers

5. Donations of formula should be

given to mothers of infants in
emergency situations