Foreign milk powder was found to be illegally advertised by Mead Johnson in Hunan

Some medical institutions have often been “infused” with advertisements for milk powder manufacturers in popular science bulletin boards.

Newspaper reporters Szank non-photo <br> <br> foreign milk powder traced to illegal propaganda

In late July, a stack of whistle-blowing materials was sent to the reporter’s desk. According to the materials, Mead Johnson, a well-known foreign milk powder company, used the methods of cooperation with medical institutions in Hunan to promote pregnant women and maternity women in hospitals in an attempt to seize the “first milk” of newborns.

Along with the report materials, there are more than 20 pages of forms. Some of these forms show the bills for sales and promotion of Mead Johnson, and others show the leadership of the best hospitals in Hunan Province. The name and contact information of the person in charge of obstetrics and gynecology, child care and neonatology. In the right-most column of some documents - the "Remarks" column, the name of the same person was allotted: Yao Jing.

The list shows that Yao Jing’s identity is the manager of Mead Johnson’s office in Changsha, and his office address is at Lingyu Mansion, Yingpan Road, Kaifu District, Changsha. In addition, there are Mead Johnson companies in Changde, Hengyang and other city offices or office contact points.

The report materials stated that because Mead Johnson’s publicity in the hospital was a violation, “to open this door, it would be a bit of blood” — the list and data on the bills showed that the cooperation unit and the parties’ exchanges had generated Relationship fees."

On August 3, the reporter got in touch with the whistleblower who did not want to be identified. He said that in order to promote breastfeeding, the state had already stipulated the prohibition of illegal marketing of milk powder. However, in fact, many foreign milk powder manufacturers have adopted the hospital's key platform to do everything possible to snatch the commanding heights of the “first milk” and the hospital is in this milk powder. In the war with breast milk, it played a very disgraceful role.

The thirteenth article of the "Measures for the Administration of Sale of Breast Milk Substitutes" promulgated by the six departments of the Ministry of Health in June 1995 (implemented on October 1, 1995) stipulates: Medical health care organizations should boycott producers and sellers of breast milk substitutes. All forms of marketing propaganda made by this department and the unit; advertising of breast milk substitute products or relevant materials may not be posted in the organization; products may not be displayed, promoted or sold on behalf of the organization.

Article 14 stipulates that medical health care institutions and their personnel shall not promote breastmilk substitutes to pregnant women and infant families, and may not provide products to pregnant women and infant mothers. For babies unable to breastfeed, doctors should direct their feeding methods.

The whistleblower said that from a medical and breastfeeding point of view, one basic view is that if a baby born after the birth has consumed a brand of powdered milk for a long period of time within the first 5 to 6 months, it will become dependent and produce other powdered milk. Resistance psychology, which is the so-called "first milk" effect. "Unless there are quality problems, generally no parents will endure the children's crying and change milk powder." He said that because of the "first milk" important influence, which led to the competition of milk powder began to move from the mall or supermarket hospital.

However, due to the country's clear regulations on the promotion of dairy products, and August 1 to 7 each year as the "World Breastfeeding Week", therefore, entering the hospital requires a variety of ways to "disguise." For example, do pregnant women's classes, child care classes and so on. In order to obtain the acquiescence and even support of the hospital, there is no "public relations fee" that cannot be achieved. “Most hospitals in all provinces and cities in the province are in it, even to the community level, the cost is staggering.” The whistleblower said that these expenses are deducted from the agent or Hunan Sugar and Alcohol Company. As long as any of the hospitals listed on the random survey list are available, the display of infant milk powder in hospital obstetrics and pediatrics can be seen and presented for free. Some medical institutions have even implanted advertisements for milk powder manufacturers in the popular science bulletin boards. "These practices are serious violations of the relevant national regulations."

The hospital assists in marketing by providing free training courses

According to the information provided by the informant, the reporter found that all the major hospitals in Changsha are almost all on the list. In the more than 20 pages of materials, the costs associated with some famous hospitals in Hunan are as high as 20 times, and the costs are as low as a few hundred dollars and as much as several thousand dollars. This is just a month or two of accounts.

In the ensuing peripheral investigations, some expectant mothers and young mothers who gave birth this year were confirmed by their own experiences.

In August of this year, Ms. Xie, who lives in the Hunan University, had a child at the Third Xiangya Hospital. She said she had several hospital visits during her pregnancy and then attended several hospital training sessions.

"Its basic routine is that hospital obstetrics publicly post free lectures. The content of the lectures is how to give newborns a bath, breastfeeding skills, etc., but this lecture is mostly combined with the marketing of milk powder manufacturers." She said. When pregnant women arrive at the scene to listen to lectures, there will be salesmen of milk powder manufacturers who require pregnant women to register contact telephone numbers, and the date of the expected date of production. Before the official talks started, the salesmen of the milk powder manufacturers would first introduce them to their products and preferential measures. The promotion time was about half an hour. After they finished the lecture, they were officially opened by the head nurse or doctor of the hospital. After the lecture is over, participants will receive a small packet of Mead Johnson milk powder. "I thought at the time that milk powder salespersons could formally enter the hospital for promotion. It is certainly not acceptable not to pay the hospital."

Ms. Dai, who works at a newspaper in Hunan, said on the phone that her daughter has been in the company for more than five months. When she was produced at the Hunan Maternal and Child Health Hospital, she also received Mead Johnson's milk powder gift.

She said that after 32 weeks of pregnancy, she went to the hospital to perform fetal heart rate monitoring. Some people saw her as a face. She was very warm and warm, and she showed her enthusiasm. She promptly registered her personal information and sent a small packet of carton. milk powder. During this period, she listened to several classes and the teacher who taught the class simply helped in the classroom. After returning home, she found that there was a lot of milk powder recommendations on mobile phones, not only Mead Johnson, but also other brands of milk powder.

Mr. Yu, a person in charge of a government department of the Hunan Provincial Government, said that his wife was produced in Changsha Wangwang Hospital in mid-August. On the second day after delivery, nurses and factory representatives sent three different types of powdered milk, including Mead Johnson.

Ms. Zhao, who lives in Changsha Yuhua District, said that her daughter is a year old. When she was pregnant, she received several telephone calls and informed that a lecture on parenting knowledge was held in the hospital. It started with explaining the nutrients the baby needed to grow. The content behind it was to publicize Mead Johnson’s nutritional formula of milk powder.

“I asked the hospital. As a result, the hospital denied that it was their notice. I asked why such activities were carried out in the hospital. The reply was that it was the hospital that cooperated with the company for the purpose of public science popularization. I asked who was calling in the end, and the other person said that it may be an activist. I asked who gave me the contact information and the other person ignored me."

To this end, the reporter interviewed several major hospitals in Hunan.

On the morning of August 19, Director Wu of the Publicity Office of Xiangyi Affiliated Hospital heard about the situation and contacted the staff of the hospital. He told reporters that according to his understanding, the hospital did manage classes, but afterwards they did not, and the relevant departments said that there was no monetary transaction with the manufacturers. In the future, the hospital would be unified to purchase milk powder into the hospital by the logistics department.

At the Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital, when reporters indicated that they needed to contact the deputy dean and other responsible persons on the whistleblower list, Qin Wei, the deputy director of the office, stated that they had participated in a supervision work in the province because of their work needs. After reporting the situation, contact the reporter. In the afternoon, he called and said: The key is not to look at the promotion and promotion of milk powder, but to see whether the purpose of the hospital is for public welfare and whether the quality of the product is up to standard.

The person in charge of a general hospital in Furong District of Changsha City told the reporter that after their initial understanding, there were indeed cases of joint delivery of pregnant women and childcare classes with the manufacturers, but these were definitely not approved by the hospital. “We clearly stated in the obstruction corridor that it is strictly forbidden to advertise the sale of milk powder in the hospital.” He said that the court has asked the discipline inspection department to investigate the departments involved in the report materials.

For some hospitals denying that there is no profit cooperation, the whistleblower said that if the hospital medical staff do not have the temptation of benefits, they risk the risk of illegal manufacturers to sell it?

In order to verify the information on Messenein and all hospitals mentioned in the report materials, the reporter went to the Mead Johnson office in Changsha for investigation, but his office at Ying Yu Mansion in Yingpan Road was already empty. The reporter dialed Yao Jing’s phone number several times and has never been answered.

The reporter then sent a text message to Yao Jing indicating the identity and interviewing intentions and received a response. Yao Jing said that according to company regulations, she has no right to be interviewed, but she has already reported on this matter to her headquarters in Guangzhou. A person will soon contact the reporter and explain the situation. She also said that she has moved to the agent Hunan Sugar and Alcohol Company.

On the afternoon of the 19th, the reporter went to the Hunan Sugar and Liquor Company, which is located on the east side of the Wujialing overpass in Changsha. The company’s personnel manager and a finance official said that Hunan Sugar and Liquor Company did represent Mead Johnson’s sales, but it only limited the agency to enter the product. Stores, supermarkets, and storefronts have never promoted or promoted their presence in medical institutions, nor did they help their expenses listed on their expenditure documents. All types of medical representatives and marketing representatives listed on the report materials are not the people of their company. There is no "office office" with Mead Johnson.

In the afternoon, Yao Jing called and the media interview “has made those units very annoying.” She is also very clear about the whereabouts of reporters, and she hopes that she will not take any untrue material to investigate. When reporters informed that most of the hospitals involved in the incident had admitted to having such problems, and after many evidences of maternal and maternal experience had been obtained, the other party no longer spoke.

Two hours later, Yao Jing sent a short message to a correspondent of the “Xiaoxiang Morning Post” who was investigating the incident at the same time as the China Youth Daily reporter: “I'm just a migrant worker and can only do what the company requires me to do. Please understand.”

The business sector has seized a large amount of evidence

Mead Johnson's illegal promotion of milk powder was suspected of unfair competition and commercial bribery. The reporter then contacted the Kaifu Branch of the Changsha Industrial and Commercial Bureau. A deputy director of the bureau, Li, and Dai Shiguang, a member of the Fair Trade Division, were interviewed.

They said that they had received reports in July and began to investigate the matter. After confirming the basic situation, he tried to contact the Mead Johnson office in Changsha, but it has been unsuccessful. In the end, they found the location of the office and, after several hours of observance, finally entered the office and seized large amounts of information, many of which were the same as those provided by the whistle-blowers.

Since then, after investigations into some hospitals, the bureau found that similar phenomena exist in most medical institutions in Changsha and even in Hunan province. The milk powder manufacturers are mainly interested in the “first milk” of newborns and believe that they occupy this area. The positions are more favorable for future sales, so the public relations hospitals and related personnel are started, and the operations involved are suspected of unfair competition and commercial bribery. The medical staff of the hospital provided convenience for the promotion and sales of the manufacturers, and even sold pregnant women's personal information at prices ranging from 30 to 50 yuan, which were in violation of relevant laws and regulations.

According to their understanding, hospitals are generally obstetric and neonatal personnel who give pregnant, maternal and family classes and lectures. They often use the name of parenting knowledge to conduct the lectures. Afterwards, the manufacturers give money to hospital personnel. “These are mostly income-generating and private links in the department. For example, some breakfast milk powder was bought by the nurses and the family members paid the cash and did not enter the hospital's account. When the nurses were selling, they did not pay according to the amount of milk powder. But according to the liquid volume of the powdered milk, the sales volume is calculated in milliliters. We found such a small vault when we investigated the Xiangya Attachment."

They stated that such cooperative behaviors between manufacturers and hospitals violated the country’s mandatory provision that it was not possible to sell in the hospitals and promote the sale of milk substitutes. It also directly deprives children and their guardians of the right to choose. During the survey, obstetric directors and neonatal department directors in some hospitals were unaware of the fact that they had received money, and in particular denied that they had provided consumers with personal information. However, parents of many children have received telephone calls from milk powder companies. How was the information leaked? The staff member of the hospital replied that because the work was too busy and there was no time to take care of the confidentiality of these lists, it was very likely that they would be copied from the desk.

It is reported that Mead Johnson Company has not been found to have violated this rule for the first time. Qianlong.com article, in December 2009, the supervision report of breast-milk substitutes market released by the Consumers Association of Beijing revealed that in the investigation of illegal publicity and illegal sales promotion of 17 medical and health care institutions, some medical treatments were discovered. The health care institutions publicized the brands of breastmilk substitutes. The infant maternity ward showed baby milk powder and milk bottles. The hospital's internal stores appeared to sell breastmilk substitutes, and the offending brands included Mead Johnson.

December 1, 2009, Guangzhou Luogang Branch of Industry and Commerce Bureau of Mead Johnson Nutrition (China) Co., Ltd., for violation of Article 14 of the "Law of the People's Republic of China Against Unfair Competition," and "Guangdong Province Implements Anti-China Policy Article 9 (a) and 22 of the “Unfair Competition Law > Measures” shall be given administrative penalties. Article 22 of the above-mentioned measures is directed at the behavior of the business operators to use bribes or other means to bribe to sell or purchase goods.

Behind the illegal sales

A senior industry source revealed that the illegal use of foreign milk powder to seize "the first milk" has a profound background. According to the Southern Metropolis Daily, as early as 2007, China was the second largest sales market for Mead Johnson in the world, with annual sales of RMB 1.6 billion.

However, Mead Johnson, who took the top spot in the high-end formula market since 2002, has encountered strong competition from rivals such as Wyeth, Dumex, and Abbott in the past few years. Sales of the four ocean giants have occupied half of the high-end formula milk powder. As global food raw material prices have risen sharply, multinational giants including Nestle and Danone have been seeking new growth points for profits, and they have invariably focused on the relatively high profitability market for infant nutrition products.

Just at this time, domestic dairy manufacturers suffered a major blow from the “melamine” incident, and the foreign milk powder was profitable. According to Chen Lianfang, Dairy Analyst of Beijing East Agri Consulting Co., Ltd., Mead Johnson, Wyeth, and Abbott accounted for 67% of the market share in the mid- to high-end baby milk powder market, and their price right has been firmly controlled in their hands. Since last year, Mead Johnson and other foreign milk powder prices have risen many times. Before and after the Spring Festival in 2010, Mead Johnson and Wyeth increased prices by 5% to 10% on the basis of new formulas and new packaging. In April 2011, Mead Johnson and other milk powder prices rose again, in varying degrees. Taking a baby to drink 4 cans of 900 grams of milk powder a month, if parents buy 230 to 240 yuan a can of branded milk powder, spent more than 900 yuan a month. According to this calculation, it will cost 10,000 yuan a year.

"The benefits gained from the increase in prices are enough to cover the cost of illegal sales. Wool on the sheep can also successfully kill opponents. This is a very smart business method." The aforementioned industry sources said that if you can not strictly control some foreign The unfair competition of milk powder companies will be even more unfavorable to the increasingly marginalized domestic milk powder companies.