Governor Mitt Romney was rebuffed today in his effort to assure that new mothers in Massachusetts can continue receiving traditional parting gifts when they leave the maternity ward: a bag filled with infant formula, coupons, and other goodies paid for by the formula companies.
The rejection came from a panel appointed by the governor that establishes policy for the state Department of Public Health. That board, the Public Health Council, in December had embraced a prohibition on formula marketing in maternity wards, including the distribution of gift bags that contain breast-milk substitute. The ban was scheduled to take effect in July, though some hospitals already refuse to hand out formula to new mothers unless women or their doctors request it.
The Romney administration asked the board to reverse its stance. Instead, the Public Health Council ordered the department to review the formula ban and report back in three months. Advocates of the prohibition maintain that formula giveaways discourage mothers from breast-feeding.
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