2. INTRODUCTION
• The IMS, Feeding Bottles and Infant
Foods (Regulation and Production, Supply
and Distribution) Act, 1992, was passed
to protect, promote and support
breastfeeding.
3. The IMS ACT mainly contains five
important points
4. • No person shall use any health care
system or the display of placards or
posters relating to, or for the
distribution of, materials for the
purpose of promoting the use or sale
of infant's milk substitutes or feeding
bottles or infant foods.
5. • No booklets, leaflets, brochures,
posters, feeding bottles, cot tags,
stickers, clinic cards, prescription pads
and similar materials which advertise
infant foods or formula should be
permitted.
6. • There should be no display of
artificial infant feeding products in
health care facilities. No samples of
infant milk formula or infant food can
be distributed.
7. • Company marketing personnel, no
matter what they are called, should
not be permitted to have direct contact
with mothers.
8. • Only parents who need to artificially
feed their infants should be
instructed. Instruction should be given
only by healthcare professional. The
instructions should include details on
the superiority of breast milk and
breastfeeding with a clear warning
about the health hazards of artificial
feeding.
9. The Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles and
Infant Foods (Regula tion of Production, Supply and
Distribution) Act, 1992 Amendment In 2003 allows
the dissemination of information only to the health
workers about the scientific and factual matters
relating to the use of infant milk substitutes or infant
foods.