There is such an irrational fear of communicable diseases, here in the US at least.  (I used to work at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Hepatitis Branch.) Seems to me that it might take a major shift in consumer thinking for donor human milk banks to succeed, even if the milk were more available.  We don't really trust the blood supply, perhaps rightly so. (I could tell you stories!) People will reluctantly accept blood transfusions when there is no alternative. If allowed, we'd have friends/relatives donate the blood to be safe. The fact is that human milk is not nearly in the same league as blood safety wise, yet we are testing it as though it were.  And that intensive testing alone reinforces to the public the "dangers" of using someone else's milk.  So formula may actually look like the safe choice especially since it's not a "life and death" matter after all to have human milk.  Of course, we here on Lactnet know better, thus the necessity of the "risks of formula."  SO much work to do!

Linda Anderson, LLLL in New Jersey, USAGet more from the Web.  FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com

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