Time to control online sales of breast milk, say experts
Health watchdogs should regulate online sales of breast milk, so prone to contamination that babies may be placed at risk, the BMJ medical journal said in an editorial on Wednesday. Photo/FILE
The editorial pointed to several published studies highlighting the risks.
One found that 21 percent of tested samples of Internet-bought breast milk were contaminated with a herpes virus called cytomegalovirus, compared to five percent from a regulated bank.
Another found that 92 of 101 online samples tested positive for bacterial growth, likely due to a lack of pasteurisation, and poor shipping and storage conditions.
Health watchdogs should regulate online sales of breast milk, so prone to contamination that babies may be placed at risk, the BMJ medical journal said in an editorial on Wednesday.
New mums face mounting social pressure to provide breast milk, given its famous nutritional benefits, and more and more are turning to the Internet if they are unable to provide the milk themselves.
