This is one of the real issues about commercialized breastmilk that needs to
be, and has not been, adequately addressed.  There is a reason that we as a
society do not permit the sale of blood and organs to the recipients.  The
same reasoning should apply to the sale of human milk.  I do not necessarily
see anything wrong with women receiving compensation for expressing their
milk, but I do have a problem with any organization then turning around and
selling that milk to someone else. There is just too much possibility for
exploitation here, exploitation of both the donors and the donees.  And, we
are going to create a situation where we devalue children feeding from the
breast, but at the same time only permit only the wealthy to feed the best
substance without the breast.  Yes, let's make expressed breastmilk more
available to those who *cannot* breastfeed (and let's make it available
through nonprofit milk banks), but there is no reason to make it available
for $$$ to those who, for whatever reason, just don't want to breastfeed.

Alexis Neely


>
>Date:    Sat, 8 Sep 2001 21:38:53 +0400
>From:    Pascoes in Dubai <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: canned milk
>
>Perhaps I have missed this detail but am I right in assuming that women
>will be providing this milk, and for a fee I presume? It sounds very
>much like proxy wet nursing to me, and while it may provide a much
>needed  income for some women I can't help but feel a little sad about
>women donating their milk like that, in such a  commercial big business
>way. Where are the profits going? Is the human milk market going to be
>another industry where women are exploited  to make profits for the ever
>burgeoning economy?

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