At 04:50 AM 10/13/2004, you wrote:
>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.  <snip>
>
>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."

Valerie, why do you feel that what you've quoted above is upsetting?  I
would think as citizens of this world, we'd want to increase health.  I
don't read the above as all babies should be supplemented with a special
formula, but that those babies who are formula fed should have this
supplement (his invention).  If the supplement does what he claims it does,
I think it's a wonderful invention!

>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.

Valerie, this patent *DOES NOT* use human milk components, at least that I
could see.  If you can point out to me where in the patent he says he used
human milk components or gene constructs, I'd appreciate it.  I looked
through the whole thing and what I found was this:

"[0074] Fraction A is prepared by crude processes, and is available from a
dairy food company in New Zealand. Fraction A is of variable lipid
composition, and a specific exemplary composition is provided below with
respect to Example 2. The inventors have further purified this crude
fraction to isolate a bioactive complex lipid referred to as PROTOREX.TM.
formulation. PROTOREX.TM., may vary in composition but is approximately 80%
GD3; 9% GD1b, and 5% GM3 by weight, the remaining 6% being comprised of
other gangliosides. "

>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.

This is certainly true, but this patent doesn't pertain as much to infant
formula as to a supplement to prevent parasitic infection that can be used
in infant formula, AMONG many other things!


>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

In the past I've accepted your word on these patents, but for some reason I
looked this one up and your conclusions don't seem to apply to this
patent.  Your subject line was alarming and misleading.

This emphasized to me the danger in blindly accepting anyone's
interpretation of something.

To view this patent yourself, go to the US Patent Office website search
form and in the Term1 space put the number Valerie gives above and in the
Field1 space scroll down to Document Number.  (If you put Application
serial number you won't get it!)
http://appft1.uspto.gov/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html

It is interesting to read these (you may find yourself scrolling a good bit
thru the more technical parts) but.... I personally think it would be more
productive to have a newsletter with Valerie's discoveries, to which anyone
who is interested in this subject can subscribe.  Yahoo Groups is a good,
free vehicle for this.  If you'd like help setting such a group or
newsletter up Valerie, I'd be happy to help you.


Regards,
Cindi Swisher, RN, IBCLC

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