Dear Karleen, 

    The new HMBANA guidelines regarding research are in the developmental stage. Existing banks have operated independently in the past and now we have identified a need to have specific HMBANA guidelines as many of us do not feel competent to evaluate a research request.  
       
     One difficulty is that we are not able to  control the use of donor milk after we have dispensed the milk to recipient hospitals and must rely on trust of their intentions. 

  However, that researchers who patent or genetically engineer 
human milk components have apparently obtained milk from milk banks 

      I am unsure whether or not this is accurate and will personally contact each milk bank regarding this issue.  It seems that there are easier ways of obtaining human milk than HMBANA milk banks which have specific recipient criteria. 

    I welcome interest in donor milk banking and understand that your concern comes from the desire to protect the trust of potential donor moms and to limit the use of human milk for what we would consider unethical research. I would expect nothing else from the lactation community...that is our responsibility. 

   Our  donor consent form allows potential donors the option of deciding whether their milk may be used for pro-breastfeeding research if not needed by a baby or other recipient.  At this point, I do not anticipate requests for donor milk for research purposes.   

    The primary obstacle to the provision of donor milk to all babies who need it is lack of insurance coverage.  We do not have a shortage of mothers willing to donate.  

    I appreciate this opportunity to discuss donor milk banking and am grateful for your interest. 

   Warmly,         

Georgia Morrow, RN,IBCLC 
Mothers' Milk Bank of Ohio 
Grant Medical Center @ 
Victorian Village Health Center 
1087 Dennison Avenue 
Columbus, Ohio 43201 
Office 614.544.5906 
Fax:   614.544.5907 

"A person's a person no matter how small" 

- Horton Hears a Who 

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