Department of Nutrition for Health and Development, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
Global Health & Health Disparities, Colorado School of Public Health, Ft. Collins, Colorado, USA.
BMJ Open. 2019 Aug 10;9(8):e029035. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-029035.
Professional paediatrics associations play an important role in promoting the highest standard of care for women and children. Education and guidelines must be made in the best interests of patients. Given the importance of breastfeeding for the health, development and survival of infants, children and mothers, paediatric associations have a particular responsibility to avoid conflicts of interest with companies that manufacture breast-milk substitutes (BMSs). The objective of this study was to investigate the extent to which national and regional paediatric associations are sponsored by BMS companies.
Data were collected on national paediatric associations based on online searches of websites and Facebook pages. Sites were examined for evidence of financial sponsorship by the BMS industry, including funding of journals, newsletters or other publications, conferences and events, scholarships, fellowship, grants and awards. Payment for services, such as exhibitor space at conferences or events and paid advertisements in publications, was also noted.
Overall, 68 (60%) of the 114 paediatric associations with a website or Facebook account documented receiving financial support from BMS companies. Sponsorship, particularly of conferences or other events, was the most common type of financial support. The prevalence of conference sponsorship is highest in Europe and the Americas, where about half of the associations have BMS company-sponsored conferences. Thirty-one associations (27%) indicated that they received funding from BMS companies as payment for advertisements or exhibitor space. Only 18 associations (16%) have conflict of interest policies, guidelines, or criteria posted online.
Despite the well-documented importance of breastfeeding and the widespread recognition that commercial influences can shape the behaviours of healthcare professionals, national and regional paediatric associations commonly accept funding from companies that manufacture and distribute BMS. Paediatric associations should function without the influence of commercial interests.
专业儿科协会在为妇女和儿童提供最高标准的护理方面发挥着重要作用。教育和指导方针必须符合患者的最大利益。鉴于母乳喂养对婴儿、儿童和母亲的健康、发育和生存的重要性，儿科协会尤其有责任避免与制造母乳代用品（BMS）的公司发生利益冲突。本研究的目的是调查国家和地区儿科协会在多大程度上受到 BMS 公司的赞助。
通过在线搜索网站和 Facebook 页面，收集了关于国家儿科协会的数据。检查网站是否有 BMS 行业的财务赞助证据，包括对期刊、通讯或其他出版物、会议和活动、奖学金、研究员、赠款和奖项的资助。还注意到服务付费，如会议或活动的展位费和出版物的付费广告。
总体而言，在 114 个有网站或 Facebook 账户的儿科协会中，有 68 个（60%）记录收到了 BMS 公司的财务支持。赞助，特别是会议或其他活动的赞助，是最常见的财务支持类型。会议赞助的流行程度在欧洲和美洲最高，约一半的协会有 BMS 公司赞助的会议。31 个协会（27%）表示，他们从 BMS 公司获得资金作为广告或展位费的支付。只有 18 个协会（16%）有在线发布的利益冲突政策、指南或标准。
尽管有大量文献记录表明母乳喂养的重要性，并且普遍认识到商业影响可以塑造医疗保健专业人员的行为，但国家和地区儿科协会通常接受制造和分发 BMS 的公司的资金。儿科协会的运作不应受到商业利益的影响。
