Midwifery ȷournal sent “inappropriate” survey sponsored by formula company, critics say

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Source: BMJ

Original: http://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s578.short?rss=1...

Published: 2026-03-25T05:45:55-07:00

The British Journal of Midwifery sent out a survey of midwives and health visitors in February, sponsored by SMA infant formula, owned by Nestlé. Activists criticized the survey as inappropriate because all the questions were about breastfeeding and infant formula. Healthcare professionals who completed the survey and provided their personal details were entered into a draw for £100 worth of Amazon gift vouchers. Although the magazine states at the beginning of the survey that they "strongly believe that breastfeeding is always the best choice for a child", critics see the survey as a marketing exercise. Thomas Victor, co-chair of the Hospital Infant Feeding Network, said it was inappropriate for a scientific journal to send out such a survey.