Baby Formula

One of the main goals of technological breakthroughs is to provide the best heath care for the general population. In line with this goal, the introduction of infant milk formulas was a complete success to immediately compensate the lack of nutrition substances for babies which were experienced in the early 20th century. Back then, it was necessary since problems in keeping babies nourished were a big concern. However, such condition paved the way for a seemingly problematic outlook in today’s modern infant health care.

A huge number of the world’s population is becoming more and more dependent on infant formula products compromising the health of millions of babies. On a personal perspective, it is definitely the responsibility of infant formula companies to implement the most appropriate use of their products. The extent of their advertising campaign and hunger for profit undermines the capacity of the population to conduct critical thinking due to the extent of trust and reliability they impose as their general image.

As these companies have already shifted their market platform to Third World Countries, it cannot be denied that they are capitalizing on the innocence and lack of information of the people who belong in these economic segments. Companies seem to have no respect for the concept of accountability as long as they generate profits out of their campaigns that the products they offer are definitely for a client’s advantage. On the other hand, it is also a responsibility of the developing nation governments to provide what infant formulas truly are as they are mere substitute for breast milk.
They should open the fact that commercial milk would never be able to replace the natural nutrients and antibody components of a mother’s milk which babies ultimately need if they were to survive healthily. In the Philippines, the promotion of breast feeding by the Department of Health has been a good head start to counter the significantly bad habit of mothers in relying on commercial infant formulas (Cerojano, 2007). However, much more needs to be done as the country heavily relies on commodities manufactured by multinational companies.
In another perspective, the health care professionals also have the responsibility in terms of ethical considerations. Doctors, nurses and health care personnel should have the initiative to provide the best unbiased information about using infant formulas. The mere fact that the hospitals and clinics in developing nations promote ad campaigns for these products in exchange of commissions can prove to be a very disastrous aspect of profit-over-life matters.
They very much know that a mother’s milk is the ultimate source of nutrition for babies but they still would like to get their fair share of profit margin from companies that have lured them to promote commercial products. Lastly, it is the responsibility of the mothers to take in charge of how they would like their babies to get a decent and healthy life. It is always a matter of personal choice for them whether they would succumb to the commercialization of health care in providing nutrition to their infants.
A responsible and caring mother will always become critical and hungry for information especially if it is for the benefit of her baby. There are so many segments involved as to who is truly responsible in the commercialization of health care due to the widespread availability of infant formulas. However, it is very obvious that the companies which manufacture them are at the very high notch of ethical and moral responsibility.
It is always an option for the consumers to purchase and use products as they like. But capitalism can always cloak out of their true hidden desires for profitability since the general public always put their trusts to entities that they thought would provide them the best benefits. References Cerojano, T. 2007. Philippines: 3,608 Mothers Breast-Feed at Same Time. ABC News. Retrieved May 1, 2008 from http://abcnews. go. com/International/wireStory? id=3133147.