EDITOR—I am writing to offer clarification regarding comments made by Yamey in his news article on the baby food industry lobbying the World Health Organization on advice on breast feeding.1 Dr David Nabarro of the WHO commented on the structured process of scientific analysis that the WHO is expected to pursue in drawing up its policy on the recommended age of exclusive breast feeding.

I am sure all of your readers would agree with this scientific approach to setting policy. It would, however, be interesting to ask Dr Nabarro why the WHO plans to spend its resources in conducting a literature review on this subject, given the fact that it has already had such a review carried out by globally respected experts in infant nutrition. The WHO published a thorough review of complementary feeding studies including the recommended length of exclusive breast feeding and the appropriate age of introduction of complementary foods in 1998.2 The primary authors of this …