Editing Infant formula (section)

==== United States ====

In the United States, infant formula is both heavily marketed—the country has not adopted [[International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes|the Code]], nor is it being systematically implemented by manufacturers for domestic marketing<ref>[http://www.breastfeedingbasics.org/cgi-bin/deliver.cgi/content/International/his_code.html Breastfeeding Around the World: The International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110503210250/http://breastfeedingbasics.org/cgi-bin/deliver.cgi/content/International/his_code.html |date=May 3, 2011 }} Retrieved August 9, 2011.</ref>—and even heavily [[subsidy|subsidized]] by the government: at least one third of the American market is supported by the government,<ref name="kaminis"/> with over half of infant formula sold in the country provided through the [[Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children]] (known as [[WIC program|WIC]]).<ref name="whopays">[http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/September04/Features/infantformula.htm Sharing the Economic Burden: Who Pays for WIC’s Infant Formula?] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090511224550/http://ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/September04/Features/infantformula.htm |date=May 11, 2009 }}, ''AmberWaves'', September 2004.</ref>

According to surveys, over 70% of large U.S. hospitals dispense infant formula to all infants, a practice opposed by the [[American Academy of Pediatrics]] and in violation of the Code.<ref name="AAPad">[http://www.aap.org/research/periodicsurvey/ps13.htm Periodic Survey of Fellows: Survey shows most AAP members support formula advertising policy] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110321185321/http://www.aap.org/research/periodicsurvey/ps13.htm |date=March 21, 2011 }}, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).</ref> The [[Gerber Products Company]] began marketing its brand of infant formula directly to the public in October 1989, while the [[Carnation Company]] began marketing ''Good Start'' infant formula directly to the public in January 1991.<ref name="AAPad" />

Infant formula costs are a significant fraction of the WIC program costs: 21% post-rebate and 46% pre-rebate.<ref name="whopays"/> Formula manufacturers are granted a WIC monopoly in individual states.<ref name="whopays"/> Meanwhile, breastfeeding rates are substantially lower for WIC recipients;<ref name="gao">[http://www.gao.gov/htext/d06282.html Breastfeeding: Some Strategies Used to Market Infant Formula May Discourage Breastfeeding; State Contracts Should Better Protect against Misuse of WIC Name] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303183249/http://www.gao.gov/htext/d06282.html |date=March 3, 2016 }}, U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)</ref> this is partly attributed to formula being free of charge to mothers in the WIC program, who are of lower socio-economic status.<ref name="whopays"/> Violations of federal policy have also been found in terms of infant formula company advertising using the WIC trademark, to reach both WIC and non-WIC participants.<ref name="gao"/> In recent years WIC has been expanding its [[breastfeeding promotion]] strategies, including providing subsidies for clients who use [[milk bank]]s.<ref>[http://www.breastfeeding.com/all_about/all_about_milk_banks.html Banking on Breastmilk] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531022711/http://www.breastfeeding.com/all_about/all_about_milk_banks.html |date=May 31, 2009 }}</ref>