The DHA and AA oils in our new "imitation human milk" infant formulas are made through a process of genetic engineering called cloning. I find it ironic that most people refuse to use the word genetic engineering. It's not as difficult to pronounce or spell as Docosahexanoic acid (DHA). The FDA within the past year or two changed the way in which GRAS (Generally recognized as safe) status is determined. Presently we have a system whereby the industry states their belief to the FDA that a particular new/novel food item is safe. The FDA accepts that determination unless after marketing something drastic happens. Thus we are all the guinea pigs to the food industry. The FDA by this change trusts that the food industries will do right and monitoring is after the fact. This is why when Wyeth in the late 90's, applied for GRAS status for DHA and AA made by Martek, they were refused. The old FDA GRAS system refused them because independent studies showed that their was a problem with these novel organisms (novel=cloned organisms) in experimental rats. Approval was based on the FDA taking the time to look at the studies and they looked not only at studies provided by the industry itself but at independent studies. Now in an effort to stream-line the process (the fast track to safety), what we have is after-the-fact monitoring and total acceptance of the industry's own studies. There are people in government, in academic institutions, and industry who believe quite strongly in biotechnology. They believe in the ability of man to manipulate our genetic environment, to change and rearrange our DNA. At the science/academic level it is the wish to improve things for mankind. The desire to improve life is wonderful. But that desire must be accompanied by due caution. The technology has much to offer in regard to healing but equally it has the potential to destroy. It reminds me of the infancy of atomic energy. We were enthralled by the power and the opportunites this technology would bring. We disregarded precautions and many, many people have suffered and died because of it. In a position paper I did for AnotherLook (a nonprofit organization dedicated to gathering information, raising critical questions and stimulating needed research about breastfeeding in the context of HIV/AIDs--http://www.anotherlook.org), I have this quote and I think it is an important quote: > > >> The National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD) wrote >> in requesting for clinical studies for the Healthy People 2000 Project in >> 1991: >> “Although it is commonly stated that human milk is the optimal food for >> newborn humans, it might be possible to develop artificial formulae which >> enhance infant development and health even more than does human milk...” >> > This is the government writing about the Healthy People 2000 Project. I think most breastfeeding advocates believe that this project was about increasing breastfeeding rates. Frankly, I think not. Particularly, after looking at the 600 or so patents on human milk components (mostly cloned human milk components). I think alot of that funding went into research not to benefit breastfeeding advocacy but to build a better formula, an imitation better than human milk itself. Even if you could build a milk better than human milk, the missing element is the process of breastfeeding, the skin to skin contact that is so very vital in creating and maintaining loving relationships. While we all rant and rave about DHA and AA, I regret to tell you that this is just the beginning. Their are other imitation human milk components components in the infant formula industry pipeline. If and when Prolacta Bioscience (for profit human milk bank--human milk in a can) gets up and functioning, we will have an enormous problem. This will not be imitation anything, its the real thing. If we think we have problems now because of DHA, just imagine the problem when mothers can buy human milk in a can. The infant formula industry will always sabotage breastfeeding because breastfreeding is the ultimate competition. They have taken the research on human milk and used it against breastfeeding. There is a researcher of the fatty acids in human milk whose name is James Hanson. He is often quoted in the media about Lipil. He is also the medical director of Mead Johnson. We allow the infant formula industry access to human milk but you or I cannot have a tour of the actual manufacturing facilities of an infant formula company nor get a detailed list of the actual contents of infant formula--trade secrets. Infant formula has a high level of economic protection. It is ironic and tragic that human milk has no such protection..... Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html