Article
Harassment of health professionals by the infant food industry at scientific events
Registro en:
VELASCO, Ana Carla da Cunha Ferreira; OLIVEIRA, Maria Inês Couto de; BOCCOLINI, Cristiano Siqueira. Harassment of health professionals by the infant food industry at scientific events. Revista de Saúde Pública, v. 56, p. 1-12, 2022.
0034-8910
10.11606/S1518-8787.2022056003398
Autor
Cunha Ferreira Velasco, Ana Clara da
Oliveira, Maria Inês Couto de
Boccolini, Cristiano Siqueira
Resumen
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the receipt of sponsorships from breast-milk substitute companies by health professionals in scientific events. METHODS: Multicenter study (Multi-NBCAL) performed from November 2018 to November
2019 in six cities in different Brazilian regions. In 26 public and private hospitals, pediatricians, nutritionists, speech therapists, and a hospital manager were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive analyses were carried out regarding the health professionals’ knowledge about the Norma Brasileira de Comercialização de Alimentos para Lactentes e Crianças de Primeira Infância, Bicos, Chupetas e Mamadeiras (NBCAL – Brazilian Code of Marketing of Infant and Toddlers Food and Childcare-related Products), companies sponsoring scientific events, and material or financial sponsorships received, according to profession.
RESULTS: We interviewed 217 health professionals, mainly pediatricians (48.8%). Slightly more than half of the professionals (54.4%) knew NBCAL, most from Baby-friendly Hospitals. Most health professionals (85.7%) attended scientific events in the last two years, more than half of them (54.3%) sponsored by breast-milk substitute companies, especially Nestlé (85.1%) and Danone (65.3%). These professionals received sponsorships in the events, such as office
supplies (49.5%), meals or invitations to parties (29.9%), promotional gifts (21.6%), payment of the conference registration fee (6.2%) or ticket to the conference (2.1%).
CONCLUSION: The infant food industries violate NBCAL by harassing health professionals in scientific conferences, offering diverse material and financial sponsorships.