Bobbie, the first organic European-style infant formula that is made in the U.S. and meets FDA requirements, announces its first-ever Masterclass. The course, which takes an in-depth look at the science, rules, and regulations of infant formula, will be held on the Instagram story platform. The 30-minute, self-paced education module allows health care professionals to learn in modern ways.
“This platform offers an innovative and engaging way for health care professionals to easily stay up-to-date on the latest research and regulations of the industry.”
Bobbie’s free Masterclass, available at www.instagram.com/bobbie, has been approved by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) for registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) and nutrition and dietetic technicians, registered (NDTRs) to earn 0.5 Continued Professional Education Units (CPEUs). At the completion of the course, participants will be prompted to complete a brief quiz, after which they can directly download their CPEU certificate.
“Kudos to Bobbie for this easy-access approach for RDNs to earn CPEUs,” stated Donna Martin, EdS, RDN, LD, SNS, FAND and Past President of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “No need to save passwords, just open Instagram, enjoy the learning journey, and directly download the certificate. Modernized learning at its best.”
“It’s fabulous that Bobbie is leveraging Instagram to reach more RDNs and make CPEUs more accessible,” stated Malina Malkani, MS, RDN, CDN, brand partner, and author of Simple & Safe Baby-Led Weaning. “This platform offers an innovative and engaging way for health care professionals to easily stay up-to-date on the latest research and regulations of the industry.”
Bobbie’s first Masterclass was created by Elieke Kearns, PhD, RD and Christina Berberich, PharmD, MPH, RD. The course explores the similarities and differences between U.S. and European regulations as well as the dangers of illegally importing formula. Bobbie infant formula is modeled after breast milk and designed to meet many European standards for critical ingredients like DHA and iron, while also meeting all FDA requirements.
A recent study showed that 20% of parents (one in five) feeding formula to their infants were illegally importing non-FDA registered European formula, despite risks like shipping and storage concerns, label and definition differences, and lack of European recall information for U.S. parents. In May 2018, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a memorandum expressing concern over the increased use of imported formulas. In addition, the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans states clearly that infant formulas “improperly and illegally imported into the United States without mandated FDA review and supervision should not be used.”
“This is an extremely relevant topic as importing infant formula from Europe is a recent trend that health care professionals should be prepared to speak confidently about, especially in light of recent FDA recalls advising customers to not use imported products and safely dispose of them,” stated Melissa Joy Dobbins, MS, RDN, CDCES host of the podcast Sound Bites voted “one of the best RD-run podcast” by Today’s Dietitian and “1 of 10 nutrition podcasts to add to your playlist” by US News & World Report.
“We’re thrilled to work together with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to make modern educational content available to RDNs and NDTRs, the trusted leaders on food and nutrition,” said Bobbie’s Medical Affairs Lead, Elieke Kearns. “Bobbie is a next-generation infant formula designed to meet the demands of the modern parent and health care professionals alike.”
As a purpose-driven company, Bobbie started with community, not commerce. They first launched Milk-Drunk, a content site providing a place for parents at the crossroads of feeding to get straightforward answers, support, and information. Recently, they introduced The Feeding Confessionals, a safe space for parents to unite, learn, and grow as every kind of feeding journey is normalized. Lastly, to put their money where their milk is, Bobbie introduced The MotherLode, a groundbreaking initiative allowing Bobbie customers to become investors.
To learn more, please visit www.BobbieMedical.com. To download a patient-friendly infographic about the unregulated black market of infant formula use in the U.S., please visit www.trybobbie.com/hcp-digitalhandout.