In discussing this topic re: Prolacta with my peers, what boils my blood is NOT 
the for profit status of the company.


It is the absence of clarity in their marketing. And to rephrase that, not only 
does their marketing lack clarity, it is intentionally deceiving mothers into 
perceiving that their milk is going to a not for profit milk bank in an 
undeveloped country. When in reality a majority of the donated milk is used for 
the development of human milk based fortifier (note I am supporting the 
development and use of this product, just not how they are soliciting donations 
to create it).


It's a lack of integrity on the part of the company that disturbs me, not the 
profit. Once the curtain of Oz is drawn back in their marketing I am all for it.


And I would like to add, although blood donors do not get compensated, plasma 
donors DO! I am not informed enough about the issue of compensating people for 
donation of their organs or body fluid to make an intelligent statement about 
that issue. At this point I feel conflicted because without even researching it 
I can see why it may be beneficial and appealing to compensate people for this 
type of donation and I can also immediately draw up a few reasons why it would 
be complex and perhaps a not so great idea after all.


Regardless, if Prolacta were to be transparent in their actual intention for the 
majority of the milk they receive as donations they would get no criticism from 
me. But as it stands right now, they are not.


Michelle H. Kinne BA IBCLC RLC ICCE CD(DONA)
www.CascadePerinatalServices.com


 Do I get paid when I donate blood?  No.  I will make more.  
Maybe blood banks should become milk depots.  There is expense involved for 
processing whole blood donations into various components such as platelets, 
packed cells, etc.  The patient/hospital/insurer/taxpayer pays extra for those 
products.  Again, the donor isn't paid except with thanks.  Do some people I 
don't think are very good people get some of my blood when I donate?  Yes.  
Should I not donate? No.  You gotta be careful here.  I think we need community 
milk banks and mothers should be encouraged to donate AND we should have a 
prolacta available.  The cost of the product includes all the R&D, marketing, 
equipment, etc.  Milk banks charge for their product, but it is subsidized by 
donations of time and money and goods in kind.  If we put a true dollar value 
and included all the startup costs etc into the price of it, it would be more 
expensive. 








 

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