I attended a conference a few months ago (Edith WHite and Karin
))Caldwell i believe is her last name) spoke about lactose free formulas
The information they shared is as follows:
1. No data that infants are lactose intolerant
2.Study done to "test" this formula - Done by Mead Johnson, during 120
days for 153 babies that they grew equally as well.
Thats it - therefore that formul can be released toconsumers.
They didn't look at bone density - or what of long term problems as
calcium is not well absorbed without lactose.  It seemed to be the
opinion of the group that this formul is presented due to the beating soy
is taking in the literature.in situations where there has  been insult to
the gut lining from milk allergy, the baby may do better as the lining of
the gut heals, but thats no reason for long term use.  It scares me
(perhaps from my lack of information) that this formul is making its
rounds now.  Could some of the dieticians speak to this, or Dr. Maryelle
Vonlanthen?
BTW, Maryell Vonlanthen has a wonderful article in the most recent BF
abstracts (May1995) supporting the continuation of breastfeeding in an
infant with diarrhea.
RobinHollen RN, IBCLC
(I see I left the a's off formula - the computer did it!)