I recently read a short abstract by human milk researcher, David Newburg,
that made me think that some of what he wrote would make a terrific advertising
campaign for the promotion of breastfeeding (which I believe the US Government
ought to sponsor--a dream but one can hope).

He writes:

"The single environmental factor most responsible for suboptimal brain
development is the combination of diarrhea and malnutrition that afflicts 30 million
children each year.  Artificially fed infants are 3-10 fold more likely to
develop this condition than breast-fed infants."

Of course the reality is that this researcher, is defining a new class of
antimicrobial agents to be made.  He has defined and named the human milk
glycoprotein, lactadherin.   So the reality is that we may have a new class of
antimicrobial agents that the researcher considers to be unlikely to develop
resistance.  Newburg also is named as an inventor (among several) for several
patents--# 5667797 and # 5505955.  Both these patents are on HMFG (human milk fat
globule).  In fact one of the two patents is called, "Anti-diarrheic product and
method of treating rotavirus-associated infection."  This patent mentions the
use of HMFG as a treatment for immune-compromised individuals such as
hiv-positive patients.  This surely is the irony of science---hiv positive mothers
discouraged (to put it mildly) from breastfeeding their babies will use infant
formula.  Infant formula carries a 3-10 fold risk of diarrhea. We shall treat
the diarrhea with HMFG or whatever the product will be named. Life is iro
nic.......

I can't imagine the infant formula industry allowing a public advertisement
that states dirrectly how its product is contributing to suboptimal brain
development.  But it sure is nice to dream about an advertisement that puts infant
formula in its place--a known risk for suboptimal brain development!!
Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC

PS  Can't ya see the ad?  Lots of breastfeeding mothers in various "public"
locations talking about how they are avoiding the risks of infant formula so
that their babies will grow up bright and healthy......

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