BSACI Council decision on Milk Sponsorship

BSACI council has voted through a proposal agreeing to formalise our previous decision that the society will not accept any funding from infant formula manufacturers. A central aim of our society is to provide an expert, independent voice on key allergy issues including infant feeding in relation to allergy prevention and treatment and this important decision will help us to fulfil this. The BSACI recognises the importance of promoting breastfeeding as the best possible method of infant feeding, and where it can, will continue to support evidence-based education, practice and policy that are conducive to breastfeeding. We also recognise that in babies with food allergy who cannot breastfeed, specialist formula milks are crucial. We will thus continue to engage with formula milk companies around these products only, where we believe it will help in the development of hypoallergenic formula milks, but without receiving any funding. The BSACI decision does not affect individual members, who may continue to make personal decisions around whether they accept funding from formula milk companies, although the society does expect this to be openly declared, where appropriate.