Public Comment

Breast milk is God’s great gift to mankind. It is the perfect cocktail to nourish newborn babies. So why is Donald Trump trying to discourage women from breast feeding their children in the underdeveloped world? If we follow the money trail, the answer becomes self-evident. 

The United States delegates to the World Health Organization are using their economic and military muscle to undermine a simple resolution encouraging breast-feeding. This is another sick example of a powerful country badgering weaker countries to serve the interests of powerful business interests. Breast feeding is a direct threat to the baby formula industry which is worth $70 billion. Developed countries can easily deflect the Trump administration’s bullying tactics but developed countries are not so fortunate. 

Trump’s contention that women need access to formula defies both science and nutrition. Not only is breast milk the best option for newborns it also contains anti-bodies that protect against a host of diseases. 

A lot of US unethical arm twisting has contributed to an alarming decline in breast feeding in third world countries. Ecuador came close to buckling under intense US pressure but managed to resist. Colombia’s health officials alarmed at high pharmaceutical prices tried to cut prices but were “persuaded” from doing so by a host of US economic pressures. Both the Obama and Clinton administrations also sought to keep drug prices high in low-income countries to maximize profits for US drug companies. 

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