How can one rationally and compassionately be opposed to making a better
infant formula?  Isn't our consumer society based on the new and improved
product?  Who wouldn't want the new and improved product, set out in its new
and improved colorful package?  One would have to be a backward looking
person to resist modernity and the quest for new products.

A most recent patent on a new improved infant formula involves adding an
insulin supplement.  The rationale for this new improved infant formula.
Studies show that breastfeeding protects against the development of Type-1
diabetes and insulin present in milk enhances small intestinal growth and
development.  Insulin concentration in human milk is significantly higher in
human milk than cow's milk or infant formula (very little).  This patent
states that:  "patients with type 1 diabetes were more likely to have been
breast-fed for less than 3 months and to have been exposed to cow's milk
proteins before 3 months of age." patent # 6365177

Another patent seeks to prevent neonatal NEC by administrating lactobacillus
salivarius and lactobacillus plantarum or a combination. (this patent
mentions that  this patent would be especially good for the preterm infant)
Of course, they do mention that human milk provides these beneficial
organisms. And these organism come from the American Type Culture
Collection--genetically modified I presume. patent # 6132710

Or there is a patent on using recombinant human alpha-lactalbumin and
beta-casein (proteins produced from E.coli).  This is genetically modified
organisms used to duplicate human milk. patent # 5795611  Or the enzyme
supplemented baby formula which uses enzymes of procaryotic and eucaryotic
origin. (meaning genetically modified organisms).  Of course, the enzymes are
based on human milk enzymes because we want to imitate the real thing.  This
enzyme patent was filed in May of 1992. (patent # 5902617)

All these patents (and there are many, many more) are based on the simple
premise that women can't or won't breastfeed.  Or the premise that human milk
is a contaminated substance.  The premise that women can't or won't
breastfeed is often found in government publications from the NIH.  No one
questions this premise.  Why women can't or won't breastfeed is not
discussed.  Rather odd considering the research that shows the amazing
properties of human milk.

And of course the contamination issue of human milk.  Human milk as the
carrier of disease, toxins, drugs to an infant.  Such an amazing substance
but so impure that the hand of man must touch it in order to purify it or
better yet the hand of man must make something better.  I heard that men make
better chefs but I have always heard that from men.

So now we have the DHA (genetically modified) but virtually identical to
human milk DHA in our baby's formulas.  What is the next component we can
modify that is virtually identical to the human milk component?  What new and
improved version will be on the agenda for next year?  And of course, let me
see, how many millions have been spent on the selling of DHA to the public?
Just a few of those millions might have been nice to promote breastfeeding.
But heck, women don't want to breastfeed and most of them can't anyway.
Rational...yes....the rationality of the infant formula industry in a
consumer-driven society.  It's makes perfect sense.  If women don't know
about the amazing properties of their milk, they won't breastfeed.  If the
roadblocks are set so high by childbirth practices and societal expectations
of women, then women can't breastfeed.  And of course, one can only
breastfeed if the milk is just perfect (numbers provided by the infant
formula industry).  So...yes rationally we need a new improved infant
formula....Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC

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