Opinion Paper

South African health professional associations urged to end commercial milk formula industry sponsorship

Catherine J. Pereira-Kotze, Lori Lake, Max Kroon, Haroon Saloojee, Lisanne du Plessis, Zandile Kubeka, Sheila Clow, Renier Coetzee, Mariatha Yazbek, Nomajoni Ntombela, Sithembile Dlamini-Nqeketo, Gilbert Tshitaudzi, Silingene J. Ngcobo, Nthuseni S. Murudi-Manganye, Sue Fawcus, Nzama Mbalati, Tanya Doherty
Journal of the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa | Vol 3, No 1 | a150 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/jcmsa.v3i1.150 | © 2025 Catherine J. Pereira-Kotze, Lori Lake, Max Kroon, Haroon Saloojee, Lisanne du Plessis, Zandile Kubeka, Sheila Clow, Renier Coetzee, Mariatha Yazbek, Nomajoni Ntombela, Sithembile Dlamini-Nqeketo, Gilbert Tshitaudzi, Silingene J. Ngcobo, Nthuseni S. Murudi | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 25 October 2024 | Published: 04 April 2025

About the author(s)

Catherine J. Pereira-Kotze, Health Systems Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
Lori Lake, Children’s Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
Max Kroon, Department of Neonatology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; and, Mowbray Maternity Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa
Haroon Saloojee, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Lisanne du Plessis, Division of Human Nutrition, Global Health Department, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
Zandile Kubeka, Cluster: Child, Youth and School Health, National Department of Health, Pretoria, South Africa
Sheila Clow, Division of Nursing and Midwifery, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
Renier Coetzee, School of Public Health, Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
Mariatha Yazbek, Department of Nursing Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Nomajoni Ntombela, International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
Sithembile Dlamini-Nqeketo, World Health Organization, Pretoria, South Africa
Gilbert Tshitaudzi, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Pretoria, South Africa
Silingene J. Ngcobo, Department of Nursing and Midwifery, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
Nthuseni S. Murudi-Manganye, School of Health Care Sciences, Department of Nursing Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Sue Fawcus, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
Nzama Mbalati, Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA), Johannesburg, South Africa
Tanya Doherty, Health Systems Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa; and, School of Public Health, Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa; and, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

Abstract

Despite the wealth of evidence about the benefits of breastfeeding, the commercial milk formula (CMF) industry continues to grow and project future profits, fuelled by aggressive and pervasive marketing practices that include the targeting of health care professionals. When health professionals and their associations accept funding from the CMF industry, this creates a conflict of interest (COI). The World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have therefore issued clear unequivocal guidance including through World Health Assembly resolutions that health care institutions and professional associations should refuse sponsorship from the CMF industry. We urge health professionals in South Africa to heed this call to protect their professional integrity and ensure that care and support for pregnant and breastfeeding women, children and families is free from commercial influence.

Keywords

conflicts of interest; health professionals; professional associations; sponsorship; financial incentive; breastmilk substitutes; commercial milk formula; breastfeeding; infant and young child nutrition

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