The Infant Food Industry and Researchers: Can we form an Ethical Alliance

While some of these codes are being adapted into laws in some of the participating countries, major sociopolitical changes and epidemiological changes epidemiological changes are occurring, particularly in the developing world. The advent of industrialisation and urbanisation in many parts of the developing world has changed most of the conditions that prevailed in the past. Such conditions were conducive for breastfeeding albeit some retrogressive and oppressive to women. For instance, although more mothers are entering employment markets, few employers provide immediate child-caring facilities that will allow for regular contacts between mothers and children during working hours. The advent of HIV /AIDS and concerns over transmission through breastfeeding has also added impetus to this. Subsequently, the issue of use of breast milk substitutes has forcefully re-entered the debate. Recent research has identified some correlation between the increase in the violations of the breastfeeding codes and some correlation between the increase in the violations of the breastfeeding codes and rapid industrialisation and urbanisation processes currently unfolding in the developing world.