Contract for formula anyone???

Our NICU recently changed from one top brand of formula to another top brand. Nutritionally and financially, they are basically equal. We just offer what is available, that's all. If a parent requests a specific brand, we talk to the NICU dietary department to see if it's possible to get a replacement. It's not that we don't care what WIC offers - it's just that we can only feed what we have available. Since most of the companies make almost identical formulas, it really shouldn't matter if they'll get a different brand from WIC. Just so long as it's the right type - soy, preemie, elemental, etc. Of course, some babies tolerate different brands better than others. But what can you do? I think most hospitals only have one brand of formula at a time.

Just found out we are no longer to offer moms formula "a", instead, all babies are to get formula "x". UNLESS the mom requests formula "a". But we are not to offer or mention that brand. Most of our moms are on WIC and formula "a" is our WIC formula. We were told the formula company "x" made a deal with the hospital and the doctors agree with it so...give me some opinions people- does this happen everywhere?? Is this some type of corporate compliance issue violation?

Yes, it happens everywhere. The competition to get a hospital contract to dispense ONLY it's formula in the "going home" bags is so intense. This is because in the mind of the mom she'll be thinking, "This is the brand that they gave me at the hospital, so it must be the best."

VERY intense competition.

We have two "big name" formulas available for parents. HOWEVER, if parents are on WIC, only one of them is paid for by that program, unless there is a script from a PED for something else. So, we start all WIC moms on that brand.

At a prior hospital, we rotated which formula was offered monthly. At the facility I am in now, we always offer the WIC supported brand. It is even in our transition orders. Unless ped orders something different, or Mom requests the other brand. One peds office always used the opposite brand based on office staff's dealing with the formula company. When we told the pedi, baby is on brand X, that's what your babies are always on, he said, "Oh". :chuckle

This is being discussed in another thread in this forum entitled Formula Companies and Big Tabacco. The first thread has a link to a story in Mass which is very interesting.

Some hospitals rotate brands, others go w/ whatever the WIC contract is--which I think is a good plan.

I have no idea why we switched brands - but I suspect it had something to do with money or fringe benefits. :uhoh21:

We alternate between the two big guys.

This is being discussed in another thread in this forum entitled Formula Companies and Big Tabacco. The first thread has a link to a story in Mass which is very interesting.

Well, it's not exactly the same topic. That one has to do with the free diaper bags that we hand out when familes go home - they are filled with advertisements, coupons, and samples of formula, and are of course geared towards the company that made them. Even their "breastfeeding support" packs have free formula in them, and the big concern is that it's promoting formula over breastmilk, or possibly tempting moms who are breastfeeding to use their free formula in a moment of weakness, thus making the company some money down the line.

This is more the fact that some hospitals have contracts with certain formula companies and are not "allowed" to give other brands.