This is the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) file with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for records discussing risks associated with exclusive breastfeeding, responding to or about the Fed Is Best Foundation (a grassroots non-profit working to mitigate those risks), and responding to or about Fed Is Best co-founder Christie del Castillo-Hegyi (with her permission). Documents released so far show that CDC awareness of exclusive breastfeeding-associated risks, including the possible jaundice-autism link, has outpaced safety monitoring and harm prevention efforts.
The records reveal no relevant safety monitoring or harm prevention efforts. They show that the agency is aware of evidence linking exclusive breastfeeding with jaundice, and jaundice with autism. They show that, in spite of this awareness, the CDC has recently continued promoting and funding implementation of the exclusive breastfeeding paradigm, the WHO/UN-sponsored Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, including closely collaborating at the highest levels with exclusive breastfeeding proponents like the Baby-Friendly USA organization and other leading breastfeeding activist organisations and individuals on meeting agendas, public campaigns, and responses to Fed Is Best Foundation’s efforts. Some of these responses deny without evidence the merits of the Foundation’s claims that exclusive breastfeeding risks preventable harm to neonates. The medical literature supports these claims.
