From
the CDC’s mPINC of 2009 to the Surgeon
General (US) Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding in 2011 to the Healthy
People 2020 targets, we are all familiar with this country’s (and global)
initiative to increase health of newborns and young children through exclusive
breastfeeding. More and more hospitals
are working toward and achieving the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative
(BFHI). And while this is all good news,
there is some not so good news…if a baby is not breastfed, that means the baby
is formula fed. Statistics show
repeatedly that infants who are formula fed are more likely to die no matter
where they live on this globe. And the
health threat isn’t only for the children.
The incidence of maternal illness in those who do not lactate are higher
for situations such as postpartum depression and breast and ovarian cancers.
Just
when we thought we were making headway in the world of BFHI and staff training
to facilitate labor practices that promote breastfeeding, a stunning
development is making the rounds again in social media: genetically modified
cows produce human milk.
In
2011, scientists in China announced their success in producing a human genetic
coding in the DNA of Holstein cow embryos, thus producing a herd of cows that
make a milk with the same nutritional properties as human breastmilk, but with
a taste even stronger and sweeter. “The genetically modified cow milk is 80%
the same as human breastmilk,” said lead researcher Dr. Li Ning. At that time,
over 3000 cloned cattle lived on an experimental farm in suburban Beijing,
announced the researchers at the State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology of
the China Agricultural University.
Researchers were able to create a cow that produced milk with the human
proteins lysozyme and lactoferrin.
But
some interesting questions arise from this and it is the professionals who are
asking.
JH
from Iowa said “On one hand, as a mother who had a horrible time breastfeeding
because of low supply and an infant who was allergic to virtually every
commercial formula and was unable to get donor milk, I think this COULD be a
great alternative and save a lot of stress and anxiety over feeding infants
quality nutrition. However as a
scientist, I am concerned about the safety of this, especially regarding future
dairy allergies and what the other 20% contains. I would want to know much more about the research
and how the genetic material was obtained before making a decision one way or
another.”
SD
from West Virginia stated, “I’d rather see this much time and energy put into
opening more human milk banks in the USA instead of worrying about striving for
more GMO foods.”
AG
from Wisconsin mentioned, “If it works out, and the product will make money –
as long as they can keep the arsenic and such out of the cows’ diet. People are uncomfortable with this kind of
large animal cloning until they need the product it produces. It may result in less processed milk
formulas, which could be healthier for children. It also seems like a gateway to more genetic
experimentation.”
All
too often in medicine, we find something potentially amazing discoveries and
rush to implement them. However, do we
truly research the side effects both immediate and long term? In many instances, we do not. And this may be another time when we rush to
implementation.
What
are your thoughts?
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