My name is Leila Marcial, I am coming out of lurkdom to ask you
LactNutters for help.

I am taking Ethics in Health Care this semester.  We have to do a
paper on ethics, topic of our own choosing.  I have chosen to do HIV+
moms & the ethics of formula's involvement in the decison making of
formula to HIV+ moms.  ??make sense??
I have no title yet.

What I do have is the paper all written, typed, cited, and everything.
 It looks really good, to me anyway....
I also list the benefits of breastmilk to the baby, how it will help
him from opportunistic infections, the detrimental effects on a baby,
etc.  Citations on HIV+ women and breastfeeding, etc... all the stuff
about fomrula promotion, etc.....

I just don't have an "ethical conclusion", as to why it is unethical
for the formula companises to be involved in this.   I have written
down the following reasons WHY, but I can't put them together.  Do I
have to???  Or can I just LIST the reasons why????  Could someone here
put them together for me, so that they make sense???  (I have put
ethical principles in quotes. or OTHER IDEAS from class.)

    1.  The formula companies have been involved in this
decision-making, their interests lie not in infant health, but in
promoting their product.  The end means of which == MORE profit for
them.  ("Commitment to the bottom line has supplanted care for persons
for some professionals.  Profit rather than human need often dtermines
policies or treatments.")

    2.  For many years there has been a boycott against the formula
companies, in protest of their unfair markteting practices &
detrimental effects on infant health around the world.  In response to
the AIDS/HIV epidemci, they are tkaing advantage of an unfortunate
situation.  They are TRYING to make what they do RIGHT, due to AIDS.
("We are not free to make whatever we choose right.")

     3.  It is in my opinion, very unethical for the formula companies
to be involved in any decision concerning infant nutrition/health &
breastfeeding.

     4.  Formula contributes NOTHING to immune system maturation, by
its very nature it can be destructive to a maturing immune system,
thereby contributing to poor health, prejudicial to a possibly HIV+
child.  Health is a "fundamental good".  ("Choices - as long as it is
not done in order to destroy a fundamental good.  The action chosen
must not be destructive in itself.  The destructive effect cannot be
the means to the creative effect.  Only the creative effect is
directly chosen.")

      5.  Use of formula would create a financial burden on a family
in the Third World (or anywhere).  Many times the family may try to
stretch it out by overdiluting it w/water, giving gruel or other things.
("the inherent dignity of every human being demands appropriate regard
for basic health care needs.")

also...I have from class these thoughts.....
keep in mind that the patient's are always vulnerable,        ((for
this I can put "children"????)))
how do these characteristics apply to the right and good healing
action????
Empathy - empathy must be based upon a desite to share one's gifts
w/other persons.  The 2nd reason: for developing empathy:  respect,
acceptance, & reverence for other people.

                Sincerely,
                     Leila Marcial, RN/CCE
                     in dreary New Jersey













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