Saudi Arabia punishes breast milk substitutes marketers

Saudi Health Minister Fahd Al-Jalajel authorized on Wednesday, August 2nd, a decision to fine a pharmaceutical company for violating the Breast Milk Substitutes BMS code.

Saudi Health explained that a specialized committee approved those penalties with fines reaching $67k.

The company's representatives were found distributing leaflets about BMS to mothers inside a hospital in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia, which is a violation of the fifth article of the BMS code, which bans the advertising and promotion of any form of BMS and infant formula.

Saudi Arabia issued in 2004 a breast milk substitute code, aligned with the 1981 International Code for Marketing BMS.