There is a patent application # 20040198694 called "Formulation to treat or
prevent parasitic infection," with the inventors being Michael Thomas
Clandinin.  This "invention" is to treat parasitic infections (gives example of
Giardia) and may be used in foods such as infant formula, baby food, baby cereal,
juice, etc.  Clandinin has done the original research on DHA and his work is
refered to in alot of DHA patents. Two of his papers that I recently looked at on
DHA were funded partly by Wyeth.  He is called Professor PUFA at the
University of Alberta, Canada.  He has a company called MTI which does "metabolic
assessments of new nutritionals and food (infant formulas and infant food, too).
It is stated that his research is the basis for world-wide acceptance of canola
oil and its GRAS status.

This patent application has an interesting statement that explains to me why
human milk research is about making a better infant formula.  The patent
states at one point, "In underprivileged areas of the world (third world
countries), infant formula supplementation, and supplementation for children may be used
to ward off infection and sustain health."

Thus, the desire to produce a safer infant formula is supposedly the root
cause of patenting human milk components and their gene constructs.  Yet this
creation--untested, of course he does have a company that makes assessments on
new food ingredients--will supposedly save infants in poverty from parasitic
infections.  The costliness of this enormous investment in making infant formula
safe not only impacts healthcare costs but has the rebound effect of
destroying breastfeeding in areas where it so badly needs to be promoted.  And if the
testing of these novel ingredients is done by those who have a financial
investment in those ingredients, then exactly how are we sure of its safety??
Valerie W. McClain, breastfeeding advocate

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