Children prohibited from receiving human milk feeding

photo by Jessie McClain

In a patent filed in 1996 called, "Use of indigestible oligosaccharides to prevent gastrointestinal infections and reduce duration of diarrhea in humans," (patent #5827526) the inventors Dohnalek et al. mention that the children were prohibited from receiving human milk feeding. This was a study on children (10-24 months of age) who were attending day care. All these "children" (I would call them infants) were on various formulas none were breastfed. Yet the inventors of this patent that is owned by Abbott, felt the need to prohibit these infants from getting any human milk feeding. This is a study on daycare and diarrhea in infants. We know that human milk feeding would alleviate gastrointestinal infections and diarrhea. We knew this in 1996 and I am sure that Abbott knew it, too. How ethical is it to deny infants/children something you know will help them when they are ill? The only reason to deny these infants this medicinal fluid is because you know it will mess up your study. Many questions but who will ask them? Who is actually monitoring infant formula studies?

Copyright 2008 Valerie W. McClain