IBLCE: IT'S TIME TO UPHOLD AND ENFORCE OUR CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT (CPC)
We, the undersigned, call on the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) and the IBCLC Commission to uphold the ethical foundation of the IBCLC credential by prohibiting the recertification of any IBCLC who has partnered in any way with companies that manufacture or market breastmilk substitutes.
This includes such actions as:
- Appearing in promotional materials such as blogs, podcasts, or social media partnerships with a formula company
- Holding advisory or staff positions for a formula company
- Accepting direct payments from formula companies for promoting their products
- Accepting funding, sponsorship, or gifts from formula companies
- Receiving commissions or kickbacks for referrals or product sales
- Accepting formula company money to subsidize lactation care
- Speaking or presenting in continuing education of any kind hosted by formula companies (paid or unpaid)
The IBCLC represents a critical access point between corporations and families. Partnerships between anyone holding the IBCLC credential and a formula company have the potential to mislead families, compromise the perception of unbiased care, and directly contradicts our ethical Code of Profesional Conduct (CPC).
Infant formula is an $81 billion dollar industry; it does not need the help of individual IBCLCs to market its products to vulnerable new parents. While the barriers to breastfeeding success are multilayered and complex around the globe, one of the reasons cannot be that infant formula companies exploit our credentials to support their marketing claims. We cannot wait for infant formula companies to act ethically, but we can enforce the standard we all agreed to uphold.
*The information you provide by signing this petition is for the purposes of this petition only and your data is not shared or sold, ever.