World Health Organisation – WHO: Draft Guidance on regulatory measures aimed at restricting the digital marketing of breast-milk substitutes

The report at the Seventy-fifth World Health Assembly 2022 has currently identified a significant increase in the reach and impact of breast-milk substitutes promotions through digital marketing, as these products are now widely advertised on various online channels and media platforms. In fact, these technologies have created new marketing tools that are powerfully persuasive, extremely cost effective, and often not easily recognizable as breast-milk substitutes promotions, prohibited as in  the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, including subsequent relevant resolutions (The Code – 1981). It also involves a broader range of actors than those involved in traditional marketing practices. And in order to adapt to a new digital environment, a specific regulatory and a broader coordination between government bodies should be developed, in compliance with the Code.

Accordingly, the WHO Secretariat is working with the TAG (Technical Advisory Group) to develop a Draft Guidance on regulatory measures aimed at restricting the digital marketing of breast-milk substitutes, and requests an online public consultation to gather feedback from diverse stakeholders. The draft contains 11 recommendations, focusing on the prohibitions of specific practices and an increase in relevant parties’ responsibilities  in minimizing breast-milk substitutes promotion in the digital environment.

General Guidance on providing recommendations

The comments would be made on an online form, which requests short responses for each section. Submissions cannot be made anonymously, as stakeholders are required to provide some basic personal information, including full name, organizational affiliation (if any), job title, country or resident, and email address, to make their responses valid.

The deadline for submission is by 11:59 on Sunday, 17th September 2023, Central European Time (GMT/UHC +1). All comments  will be carefully reviewed and a summary will be presented to WHO’s Technical Advisory Group for consideration. WHO will also prepare a summary report that describes themes raised in consultation submissions and decisions taken in response to these themes.

By Trang Linh – Midland & Partners