Letter: Facts about milk and phthalates

Sir: It is hardly surprising that there has been such an emotional reaction to the Government's disclosure that significant quantities of phthalates have been found in baby formula milks ("Cover-up claim in baby milk chemicals row", 27 May).

For years the health industry has sought to persuade people to adopt a responsible lifestyle by the blatant use of scare tactics, to the extent that we now feel guilt if we fail to have our cervical smears, mammograms or serum cholesterols undertaken. We anticipate an early and painful death if we smoke, eat saturated fats or take too little exercise.

Now, in the highly emotive area of bottle feeding babies, we are told that we might just be poisoning their future sexual potential, but that we must not worry as the risk is so very small. Really, the health industry cannot have it both ways.

Dr WILLIAM A HART

Brough, East Yorkshire