Health Minister (Yesh Atid) Yael German on Wednesday, 5 Tammuz 5773 reversed a ministry directive that was only in place for 48 hours, responding to a public outcry.

A ministry directive earlier in the week banned advertising and promoting infant formula products in hospitals and Tipat Chalav baby well-care clinics around the country in an effort to promote nursing for infants. The ban pertained to any products that are intended for infants six months old or less.

It did not take long for the companies selling the formula products to respond, for the market is a lucrative one and they were not about to accept the directive without a fight. The first response from the minister was seen on her Facebook page. She felt the formula companies were too aggressive, and they effort to persuade moms not to nurse is contrary to international standards, at the very least for young mothers.

Bottom line, the health minister reversed the directive, thereby removing restrictions on promoting and advertising baby formula products in the nation’s hospitals and clinics.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)