Breast milk banks OK for now but study needed: panel

[Renew Deal]

WASHINGTON — Breast milk banks should remain largely unregulated for now, U.S. health advisers said on Monday, wary of raising further obstacles to obtaining donor milk until further study is done.

High costs, skepticism among doctors and other issues already prevent more babies from receiving human milk when their mothers have trouble breast-feeding, a Food and Drug Administration panel of outside experts was told.

There is agreement that a mother's milk is the best choice to feed infants, but premature birth, illness or even maternal death can make breast-feeding impossible.

The FDA has become concerned that the possible risks of some donated breast milk could outweigh the benefits. It warned parents in a notice last week not to casually use breast milk from unscreened mothers because of the risk of disease or contamination from bacteria, drugs or chemicals.

The agency is weighing whether to step in and regulate such banks, just as it does the $4 billion infant formula industry.
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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39099402/ns/health

[badtoworse]

1. There must be 1000's of mothers on this site

What protections would you want to see before you would feed your baby breast milk from a bank?