Pat in SNJ,  You wrote, "But would it ever be possible to duplicate the
infection fighting properties of human milk?"

The pharmaceutical industry thinks they can--the magic bullets of polyclonal
and monoclonal antibodies.  Monoclonal antibodies are used in cancer
treatments, hiv/aids, and in screening/diagnostic tests.  They use human lactoferrin in
various diagnostic tests to monitor immune status (hiv/aids is one I believe
I saw).  Various patents state that Human Milk Fat Globule (HMFG) has been
used (and I assume still used) to create some of the polyclonal and monoclonal
antibodies (they also use blood).  Polyclonals respond to any antigen and
monoclonals are specific.  A good explanation for monoclonal antibodies would be:
http://users.ren.com/kimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/M/Monoclonals.html

At the University of Illinois at Urbana, scientists are creating artificial
antibdies by a new molecular imprinting process (article from 2002 in Science
Daily).  So scientists believe they can make artificial antibodies.  Whether it
would be economically feasible to put in infant formula is another story.
And whether they really work like the real antibodies is questionable.

I believe that monoclonal antibodies have alot to do with the reason that the
pharmaceutical industry is so interested in human milk and mammary biology.
I just started reading an EPO (Euorpean Patent Office) board of appeals
decision in 1990 regarding Unilever vs. Boehringer  in regard to a patent in which
they are recovering immunoglobulins of high purity and potency from natural
sources such as a milk [I think this has to be human not cow's milk] and blood
serum.  Seems to be a dispute--patenting does that alot.  Why ya need
lawyers......

What is the worth of human milk--the real thing?  I think it is priceless.
It's worth alot more economically than the breastfeeding community believes. Our
research is heavily tied to the infant formula, supplement and pharmaceutical
industries. Therefore,  we are kept ignorant of the true worth of human milk.
Valerie W. McClain, breastfeeding advocate

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