Pharmacies assist caregivers in baby bottle checks

MEDIA RELEASE

28 February 2013

Pharmacies assist caregivers in baby bottle checks

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs (now part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment) has discovered that some baby bottles being sold in New Zealand have inaccurate volume indicator markings on them.

The bottles tend to be unbranded and sold in low-cost or discount stores.

The Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand (the Guild) has worked with the Ministry of Health to offer a solution for caregivers who may be worried that their bottles could have incorrect markings.

Caregivers are advised to visit their local community pharmacy, where a pharmacist or other staff member will be able to check bottle volume markings using trade-standard measuring equipment, and mark a corrected volume where appropriate.

“Pharmacists are the health professional people see most often and are easily accessible within the community” said Guild Chief Executive, Lee Hohaia.

“This means pharmacists are ideally positioned to offer this service to caregivers, and at the same time, are able to give advice and support to those who may find they have bottles with inaccurate volume measurements”.

The Ministry of Health does not recommend that caregivers use kitchen measuring equipment to verify the markings on baby bottles since these are not accurate enough to measure the small amounts of fluid involved.

European standard EN14350 stipulates that the 100ml mark on baby bottles must be accurate to within 5%. Some New Zealand-sold bottles meet this standard, but they tend to be better known, more expensive brands.

Further public information is available on the Ministry of Health website: http://www.health.govt.nz/baby-bottle-markings
http://www.health.govt.nz/baby-bottle-markings-qaa
http://www.health.govt.nz/media-releases/baby-bottle-markings

ENDS

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