Thanks very much Liz. Very helpful. Lois' article on the ethics of donor milk banking is very useful. I found it very interesting though how it conflicts with an (admittedly, much) earlier paper of hers on peer-to-peer milk sharing in which the principles of medical ethics so well described in the 2006 paper are not applied. Is Lois still around? I would like to communicate with her about it. In my main other professional world (adoption) I come across various others for whom issues associated with donor gametes are at the forefront- most definitely very different from other sorts of organ/tissue donations but I really like the terminology "speculative scenarios" Karleen Gribble Australia On 06/11/2011, at 10:55 PM, Elizabeth Brooks wrote: > I'm not sure if there is any **research** on the notion of human milk donor > anonymity. Lois Arnold's article on human milk banking ethics discusses > some of ramifications of giving and receiving milk (Arnold L, The enthics > of donor human milk banking, Breastfeeding Med (2006): 1:1,3-13. > > The medical situation is not the same, of course, but there is an > interesting ethical discussion (esp. chap. 2) in the book "Nameless > Relations" by Monica Konrad, > http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=p4E4smxFS1wC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=anonymity+of+organ+tissue+fluid+donors&ots=U9SH3Saukb&sig=4RxIfBT-Tuh3-AOb19dvHkXx1H8#v=onepage&q&f=false > that describes the traditional anonymity of human egg donors as a means of > protecting the sanctity and conjugal stability of the recipient family > [translation: two parents are enough, thank you]. Anonymity is seen as > providing "legal and emotional protection against various speculative > scenarios." She also discusses Titmuss' landmark 1970 publication The > Gift Relationship (in which he argues for altruistic organ and tissue > donations). > > Egg, tissue, donor and human milk donation are all very different, but the > ethical and moral quandaries, given the advancement of medical technology, > make us have to explore perhaps uncomfortable or unfamiliar notions > involving "various speculative scenarios." > > -- > Liz Brooks JD IBCLC FILCA > Wyndmoor, PA, USA > > *********************************************** > > Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html > To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] > Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask] > COMMANDS: > 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail > 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail > 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet > 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask] COMMANDS: 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome