On Mon, 30 Oct 2000, Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC wrote:

[snip]

> The major discussion is the genetic engineering of human milk
> components to be used in infant formula and in pharmaceuticals.  This is a
> patent (one of about 200--I hope that you don't want me to post them all).
> It was filed in September 1991 and approved in February 2000.  Valerie W.
> McClain, IBCLC
>
>
> You will have to go to the US Patent Office
> http://www.uspto.gov/patft/index.html
>
> do a number search---6020015 to see the whole patent.

Okay, I did, read the whole darn thing.  This is not a patent for any
genetically engineered components of human milk.  It is a patent for a
"recipe" for infant formula containing components of human milk, which the
patent application says "could be" manufactured by chemical synthesis or
genetically recombinant organisms.  Nowhere does it say they have actually
produced or can even obtain these components yet.  It basically states
that "these scientists have all obtained these great results from testing
these purified components of human milk to, but because they are purified
from actual human milk, they might be contaminated with HIV or other
viruses, but if these components were chemically synthesized or produced
by genetically recombinant organisms, they would be virus free, and thus
could be added to infant formula, and we think you should give us a patent
on the idea of adding artificially made human milk components to
infant formula, even if they aren't actually made yet."

Mary Conner

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html