Feed responds to the BMJ: Food banks and infant formula: who knows best?

MEDIA
Written By Team Feed

After we spoke to reporter Jacqui Wise, and provided her with a document outlining our concerns with the UNICEF UK policy on formula provision at foodbanks, she published a piece in the British Medical Journal stating that

Doctors and campaigners have criticised a charity’s call to allow food banks to give out infant formula.

The article outlined criticism of our calls to maximise formula provision routes by supporting foodbanks to provide formula safely, from UNICEF UK, First Steps Nutrition and Chris van Tulleken. Dr van Tulleken said

If you have untrained people from diverse charities giving out an infant’s sole source of nutrition then you will unquestionably do harm. If a family is coming to a food bank saying they can’t afford to feed their baby then this should be a red flag that they need professional help and not just a sticking plaster of a tin of formula.

We responded to the piece in a Rapid Response, as did the National AIDS Trust who supported our position. We also addressed Dr van Tullekens concerns in a tweet thread.

Team Feed

The independent charity that puts women and families at the heart of infant feeding #bottlesboobsortubes

https://www.feeduk.org
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UNICEF UK update ‘Infosheet on the Provision of Formula for Families Experiencing Food Insecurity’