Keep Commercialism Out of Maternity Wards

[Gary Ruskin <gary@essential.org>]

Commercial Alert				September 1, 1999

Following is a column by Ralph Nader on commercial intrusions into
hospital maternity wards.

Keep Commercialism Out of Maternity Wards
By Ralph Nader

	Throughout the country, mothers giving birth in hospitals are likely to
receive a gift bag full of brand-name goodies and promotions. T-shirts,
baby detergents, nursing pads, guides to infant growth, ice packs and
most prominently infant formula are some of the freebies for the new
moms. 

	About a month ago, a mother gave birth to a baby daughter at George
Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C. She promptly received
two bags of corporate products and marketing materials from the hospital
staff. Our researcher, Tarek Ghani, proceeded to inventory the contents. 

	He found 49 commercial product or service endorsements. There were
seven requests of more personal information for use in mailing lists and
numerous product samples from multinational corporations, some of which
have exhibited dubious reputations. 

	There were disposable "Huggies" diapers, unscented baby wipes, diaper
rash ointment, three credit card offers, an offer for a "posture
improving" bra and underwear for mothers worried about their appearance,
and a slew of ads for baby books, films, toys, jobs, portraits,
chocolate bars, life insurance, and bottles of children's Tylenol – to
name a few. 

	In the mass of material, there were several surveys disguised as
sweepstakes offers. Just answer a few questions mom and you'll receive
free samples, coupons, more special offers, an opportunity to win a
$1,000 Educational Savings Bond. And even free gifts, information, and
coupons for the grandparents. 

	With the permission and implied OK of hospital authorities, the
marketers are invading the maternity ward big time. Gone are the days
then the wards were sanctuaries from commerce. These days, the business
of birth starts as early as cutting the umbilical cord. 

	Tarek Ghani was not content with his inventory. He wrote a letter to
the CEO of the hospital, Phillip S. Schaengold, asking him "exactly what
GW Hospital gains from exposing new mothers to a manipulative culture of
consumerism?" 

	He also inquired as to whether the hospital receives any compensation
in any form from the two distributors of the bags, Giftpax and First
Moments. 

	Finally, he asked: "Does the hospital consider its distribution of
privately-produced corporate products an implied endorsement of those
products, and if not, how can you possibly justify the time hospital
employees spend handing out those materials?" 

	There is more to this complaint than a charge of consumer irritation.
Reaching the mother at the time of her child's birth has been a
long-time marketing strategy of the infant formula industry. 

	In the bag presented to one Connecticut mother, the infant formula
product and a baby advice booklet were from the same company.  The
booklet acknowledged that breast milk was best, but should the mother be
unable or unwilling to breast feed, why then the infant formula was
ready. 

	Since new mothers are not often told about the pain that usually occurs
during the first two weeks of breast-feeding, a new mother becomes
vulnerable to the interruptive availability of the commercial
alternative. This approach has worked for years to turn away large
numbers of women from breast-feeding and is considered such a successful
sales technique that marketing courses refer to it in the classroom. 

	Mr. Ghani's letter has a happy ending. With decisive promptness, CEO
Phillip Schaengold replied with these words: "In response to your
letter, we examined the bags of materials that have been habitually
distributed to patients at our childbirth center.  Our staff receives
these promotional bags free of charge from infant formula companies and
with the best of intentions has distributed them to new mothers as
gifts. 

	"After our review of the bags' contents we found your complaints to be
valid. We too believe that the commercial products included in each bag
to be inappropriate for distribution to our patients. The George
Washington University Hospital does not endorse any of these products
and will take immediate action. 

	"Over the next month, we will be working to create a GW Hospital diaper
bag of our own which will include items such as: baby bibs and generic
safety instruction cards. The purpose of this new bag is twofold. It
removes the need for the bags you found offensive and provides a gift
for new moms who deliver their babies at our hospital. 

	"Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention." 

	Good! Now, what about the hundreds of other hospitals in the country?
Why not ask them to do the same in your community? 

                                  -30-
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Gary Ruskin | Commercial Alert 
1611 Connecticut Ave. NW Suite #3A | Washington, DC 20009
Phone: (202) 296-2787 | Fax (202) 833-2406
http://www.essential.org/alert/ | mailto:gary@essential.org
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