Mexico bans free baby formula to promote breastfeeding

The Mexican government says it will no longer allow giveaways of baby formula at hospitals and clinics in a bid to boost low breast-feeding rates.

The federal health risks oversight agency said Tuesday that anyone can still buy formula at stores, and it can be supplied at a doctor's request or for research purposes.

But the agency argued that free samples must be excluded from private and public hospitals "because it is a commercial practice that may discourage breast-feeding."

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