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Subject:
From:
Barbara Wilson-Clay <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 12 Dec 2000 21:00:42 -0600
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Dear Mr. Freeman,

I recently returned from a lecture trip to Australia where I had the honor
to hear the noted Swedish immunologist, Dr. Lars Hansen, give a talk titled:
"Non-breastfeeding:  The Most Common Immunodeficiency."  In his address, he
made the point that there is no longer debate over the fact that
breastfeeding prevents infections.  Further, there is now evidence that the
protection conferred by breastfeeding has long lasting effects because it
actively influences and enhances the infant's own immune system.  As a
result, there is improved and continued protection against infections even
after the termination of breastfeeding.   So the protective benefits to the
child are both profound in the short run and enduring.

In poor countries there is a risk 25 times higher of dying from diarrhea and
pneumonia if not breastfed.  Poor women who are given free formula often
lack clean water to mix the formula, fuel to heat water to clean the
bottles, and refrigeration to keep the formula fresh.  Their babies sicken
and die as the result.  There is no satisfaction in saying that the risks to
these children are unacceptable no matter which way you slice it.  To
imagine that commercial interests will stay around to pick up any of the
pieces or to provide the means to make formula use safe is naive in the
extreme.

 UNICEF has experiece with all the consequences of providing free formula,
and they are the ones who stick around to pick up the pieces.  Your
willingness to cast UNICEF and the WHO as villians for refusing to accept
free formula is both irresponsible and specious.  It appears that you are
happy to believe the self-serving voices of corporate propaganda when they
present themselves as 'saviors' of children (in spite of years of evidence
to the contrary).  I cannot help but observe that you appear to be so
interested in sensationalizing the issue to sell papers that you neglected
moderating information from the best, scientific judgements of men and women
who have spent their careers protecting the poor children of the world.

There is tremendous sadness in the breastfeeding community about all the
difficult dilemas that AIDS presents.  Much work is in progress to try to
find ways to make mothers' own milk safe for babies of infected women.  If
your article endangers the work of UNICEF, it has done much mischief.

Barbara Wilson-Clay BSEd, IBCLC
Austin Lactation Associates
http://www.lactnews.com

Barbara Wilson-Clay BSEd, IBCLC
Austin Lactation Associates
http://www.lactnews.com

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