Dear all

There was a question on Lactnet recently about 
whether human milk was a tissue, a food or a 
medicine, and a kind colleague described how the 
question was addressed in a recent session at a 
HMBNA conference by Kiersten Israel-Ballard and 
her two interns.  I was curious so I wrote to 
Kiersten asking about it, and she sent back news 
of the global implementation framework document 
on strengthening human milk banking document she 
has been working on, which can be accessed at 
<http://www.path.org/publications/detail.php?i=2433>http://www.path.org/publications/detail.php?i=2433. 


The PATH Human Milk Banking team is pleased to 
present to you our completed ‘Strengthening Human 
Milk Banking: A Global Implementation 
Framework’.  This Framework outlines the core 
requirements and quality principles that should 
be universal for all human milk banks. We present 
a compilation of key factors and current 
practices, based on solid evidence, which 
implementers and policymakers can use as a guide 
when developing context-specific guidelines for 
each facility, region, or country. This toolkit 
is not intended to provide specific 
recommendations, since universal human milk 
banking guidelines are neither feasible nor 
appropriate due to diversity of resources, risks, 
and cultures. Rather, our goal is that this 
Framework serves as a powerful resource, 
facilitating communication with the global human 
milk banking community, empowering policymakers 
with the tools and information they need to 
develop and support locally appropriate human 
milk banks and ultimately ensuring that 
vulnerable infants around the world have access 
to this lifesaving intervention.

We anticipate that this document will be the 
initial version; we intend for this to become a 
living document with periodic updates. Our hope 
is that this Framework could be adapted to a 
comprehensive online, interactive tool for 
increased accessibility – we are currently searching for funds to do this.

In the meantime, we will be disseminating this to 
the global community and would request your 
assistance in doing so. Target recipients include 
Ministries of Health, our global health and 
development partners, policymakers, funding 
agencies and technical nutrition and newborn care 
colleagues. Importantly, we ask that you please 
share this with your communities as well – feel 
free to make the document or link available for any relevant stakeholders.

Our vision is that this Framework helps to raise 
awareness around the critical role that human 
milk banks play in saving newborn lives. This is 
an important milestone in PATH’s comprehensive 
approach to strengthening human milk banking 
technologies, policies and implementation with 
the hope that one day all infants who need safe 
donor human milk have access to it.

The question is covered from about page 21 
onwards.  Kiersten is eager for the document to 
be shared widely, and also says she welcomes 
feedback ready for the revisions they're planning 
so this is our chance to provide input people!

Pamela Morrison IBCLC
Rustington, England



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