But who is? Nonetheless, the Philippine government is ordering the recall of millions of cans of Wyeth’s baby formula because the products may have been contaminated at a warehouse during a powerful typhoon last year. The government took the action after veryifying confidential info from a company insider. Wyeth says it identified rusty spots on the outer rims of some cans during a routine inspection.

The government only learned of the problem from the Internet after online discussions circulated about alleged defects. Alex Padilla, health department undersecretary, says the presence of molds in some milk cans should be seen as an issue that went beyond appearance. Wyeth didn’t mention molds in its two statements issued Wednesday. “Wyeth tried to clean this up on its own without telling the public or the BFAD,” he tells The Nation.

The timing is lousy for the drugmaker. The recall order came the same day that the Philippine’s Supreme Court heard arguments on whether to allow health officials to impose stringent measures against what they say are aggressive advertising by foreign milk companies, which have many women believing infant formula is better than mother’s milk.

“We have seen a dramatic decrease of our breast-feeding rates. We have seen an increase of the profits and sale of infant formula companies,” Padilla tells the Associated Press. “They say (formula) makes geniuses out of babies, promotes love and affection, promotes family…everything positive about infant milk formula.”

New rules call for warnings on labels that formula can be harmful if contaminated or inappropriately prepared. The Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines has sued the Health Department. Meanwhile Wyeth, Abbott Labs and Glaxo, among others, may lose about $208 million if they will have to change labels and destroy milk products already in circulation.

But weening is often difficult, isn’t it?