The Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles and Infant Food
(Regulation of Production, Supply and Distribution ) Act 1992
Introduction :
Breastfeeding is the natural
and ideal way of feeding the infants and provides a unique
biological and emotional basis for healthy child development.
It's anti infective properties protect children against disease.
It's effect on child spacing and health of mothers is well
recognized. Breastfeeding is a key aspect of self-reliance and
primary health care.
The Increased availability of
infant milk substitutes in the market has lead to extensive
promotions by the infant food manufacturing companies, through
advertisements, free samples, gifts to mothers and health workers
to convince them that bottle feeding is as good as
breastfeeding. This undermines breastfeeding in many ways and
has contributed to the decline of breastfeeding rates. This is
assuming dangerous proportions, subjecting millions of infants to
great risk of infection, malnutrition and death.
In view of the vulnerability
of young infants to the aforesaid risks it become necessary to
regulate the marketing of such products. Recognizing this fact,
the World Health Assembly adopted the international code of
marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes in 1981. The Indian
Parliament enacted the infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles
and Infant Foods (Regulation of Production, Supply and
Distribution ) Act 1992 ( IMS Act ) which came into force on
August 1, 1993.
Objectives of the Act:
Prohibit the promotion of
infant foods, infant milk substitutes and feeding bottles. The
Government is committed to promote and protect breastfeeding.
The advertisement of infant milk substitutes such as Lactogen
1,2, Nestogen, Amul Spray, Glacto, 1,2, Milk Care Starter, Milk
Care Follow on, Lactodex, Nusobee, Dexolac, and of bottle-feeding
is prohibited. Advertisement of cerelac foods such as Cerelac,
Farex, Nestum and Weano, is allowed but with certain
restrictions.
Educate pregnant women and
mothers of infants about breastfeeding. By creating awareness
among pregnant and lactating mothers about the benefits of
breastfeeding and by providing accurate and factual information
the government is striving to reverse the decline in
breastfeeding.
Ensure the proper use of
infant milk substitutes and infant foods. Feeding babies with
infant milk substitutes and infant foods. Feeding babies with
infant milk substitutes and infant foods can be harmful. The
idea of the government is to restrict and control the use of
these products by advocating their use only on the advice of a
health worker.
Define the role and
responsibilities of health care institutions and health worker to
ensure the proper use of infant milk substitutes, feeding bottles
and infant foods.
Highlights of the Act :
Prohibits the advertisement of
infant milk substitutes and feeding bottles to ensure that no
impression is given that feeding of these products is equivalent
to, or better than, breastfeeding.
Prohibits providing free
samples and gifts to pregnant women, mother of infants and
members of the families.
Prohibits donation of free or
subsided supplies of products for health care institutions and
prohibits incentives and gifts to health workers.
Prohibits display of poster at
health care facilities / hospitals / health centres
The Act also prescribes that
all labels of IMS / Infant food must say in English and local
languages that breastfeeding is the best. Also, the labels must
not have pictures of infants or women or phrases designed to
increase the sale of the product.
Prohibits any contact of
employers of manufacturing and distributing company with
pregnant women, even for providing educational material to them.
Any audio, visual, reading
material for prenatal / postnatal care or for infant feeding
should have clear information regarding:
a. Benefits of breastfeeding
b. Hazards of using substitute
products.
No infant food manufacturing
company will link its employees salary or other benefits with the
volume of sales of IMS, feeding bottles and infant food.
Penalties for
Contravention :
Violations of the Act attract
imprisonment for upto three years and / or fine upto Rs.5000
Penalty with regards to the
label on container or quality of infant milk substitute, feeding
bottle and infant food is punishable with imprisonment upto 6
month extended to 3 years and fine at least Rs.2000
What you Can Do :
Seek correct and scientific
information about breastfeeding
Understand the hazards of
using infant milk substitutes, feeding bottles and infant foods.
Create awareness and public
opinion on promotion and protection of breastfeeding.
Help to form groups or working
with NGO, which can support hospitals & maternity homes.
Educate people on the
provisions of the ACT and on the procedures for reporting
violations.
Form community watch group for
identifying and reporting violations.
Report violations to the right
authorities. Inform / publicise addresses and names of
organisations where you can report violations.
Role of Industry :
Should not give samples of
their products to mother or health workers.
Should not advertise infant
milk substitutes or feeding bottles.
Should not give free or
subsidised supplies of products to hospitals and maternity homes.
Should not give health workers
money or gifts of any kind.
Should not visit hospitals or
maternity homes to talk to mothers.
Should not promote their
products in shops through special display discount or other
gimmicks.
Labels should not have
pictures of baby, nor idealized bottle feeding.
Examples :
Infant
Milk Substitutes
Nestle: Lactogen
I, Lactogen II, Nestogen
Amul : Amul
Spray, Amul Milk Food
Glaxo : Glacto I,
II, Farex
Dalmia Dairy :
Milk Care
Rapatakos Brett :
Lactodex, Raptako
Wockhardt :
Dexolac, Nusobee
FDC : Simyl MCT
Supplementary Foods :
Nestle : Nestum,
Cerelac
Amul : Balamul
Glaxo : Farex
Dalmia : Weano
Report Violations To :
Under the Act, the following
voluntary organisations have been notified as monitoring
agencies. Send your complaints regarding violations under the
Act to any of the following:
1. Central Social
Welfare Board,
Samaj Kalyan
Bhawan,
B-12 Tara
Crescent,
Institutional
Area South of IIT, New Delhi - 110016
2. Indian Council
for Child Welfare,
4, Deen Dayal
Upadhyay Marg,
New Delhi -
110 002
3. Association
for Consumer Action on Safety and Health(ACASH)
Room No.21,
Lawyers Chambers,
R.S.Sapra Marg,
Mumbai-400 002
4. Breastfeeding
Promotion Network of India (BPNI),
