Health Ministry to investigate concerns of IPA and GAFDD

… amid calls to recall infant milk with vegetable oil

Following revelations by the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GAFDD), that the product LAILAC infant milk was not suitable for babies, and its intent to recall the product from the local market, Public Health Minister Dr George Norton has announced that Ministry will be investigating the matter before making any pre-emptive decisions.
The rationale for such a decision the minister said, is because he was only informed about the issue through newspapers and while he has full faith in the GAFDD and recognises the authority vested in the body to effect its mandate, he has also heard the grievances of the business people, and “in the interest of good governance I would want to find out more.”
His statements come in the wake of information reaching Guyana Times that suggests the GAFDD issued an ultimatum to IPA to remove LAILAC “infant milk” from the local market, giving the body 15 days to acquiesce. IPA failing to comply with the ultimatum from GAFDD would see that product being seized.
The body rationalised the impetus for its decision based on two things: the use of vegetable oil as a substitute for milk fats in the infant milk; and the non–availability of evidence by the IPA to show that LAILAC is freely sold and distributed in France, where it is being produced, a condition necessary for the product to be compliant with the Food and Drug Regulation (12) of 1977.
GAFDD had said that LAILAC infant milk, a product distributed by the International Pharmaceutical Agency (IPA) cannot be considered “infant milk”, because of its specific vegetable oil content. The importance of the issue was highlighted because of the potentially deleterious effect the vegetable oils could possibly have on infants
Information from GAFDD highlighted that the composition of the LAILAC milk is not suited for infants since the compound used to replicate the natural milk fat found is breast milk was listed simply as vegetable oil.
Exacerbating the situation was that the product has no information highlighting which particular vegetable oil is used in the imported milk.
It was also stated that the Materials Management Unit of the Public Health Ministry had complained about defective batches of the LAILAC milk.
While vegetable oils can be used as substitutes for the fats in “mothers’ milk”, they must be of a specific type that lend themselves to be digested by the infant. Many vegetable oils are broken down into fatty acids that are simply excreted by the baby more dangerously can combine with other substances such as glycerol to form soaps which can adversely affect the infant.
The IPA has since sought to rebut the statements made by GAFDD, citing the body as being “discriminatory” and “deliberately” targeting the company.
In seeking to substantiate its claims that LAILAC is indeed suitable for infants, the importer highlighted that “All milk based baby formulas are made with cow’s milk, vegetable oils, vitamins, minerals and usually fortified with iron (as recommended by the American Academy of Paediatrics)… The natural content of milk fat is poor in these fatty acids and does not allow the formulae to reach the minimum requirements. For this reason, it is necessary to use vegetable oils.”
It ignored however the GAFDD’s point that the specific vegetable oils were not identified, which could be potentially harmful to infants as described above.
The IPA had said that “LAILAC Infant milk is manufactured by NUTRIBIO, located in France.” The company produces several brands of milk including Nactalia and Lailac. “It produces several brands of products of which LAILAC is the brand marketed in the Middle East, Caribbean and Africa. In this region, Guatemala also imported this brand. All its products are manufactured in France.”
Against a background of widespread concerns that substandard products are frequently shipped to Third World countries, the statement that LAILAC is not distributed in France or Europe, but to “Middle East, Caribbean and Africa” – all Third World countries – can be considered red flags.
Similar sentiments were expressed by Minister within the Ministry of Health Dr Karen Cummings, who was quoted in the media as saying: “I have been advised that while it is labelled milk it should not be labelled as such since it is fortified with vegetable oil and not milk fats. Further it is made in France but not sold in France. We have adopted the standard that any product to be distributed in Guyana must be used in the country where it is produced.”