Breast Milk for Sale on the Internet

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In today's NYTimes, there was an article on the growing sales of human breast milk on the Internet. Due to the overwhelming demand for natural breast milk, established banks that carry safe, tested milk are limited to distributing their supplies to those who are most in need. As a result, other parents are forced to look into alternative sources on the Internet that are not always reliable. While it is a known fact that breast milk is extremely beneficial for newborns, purchasing milk from strangers on the Internet can potentially lead to health risks for infants. Bodily fluids can hold harmful bacteria and viruses that can pose threat to babies that have underdeveloped immune systems. In addition, substances that are dangerous to newborns such as alcohol, marijuana and certain medications can also be carried through breast milk. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends individuals against feeding babies breast milk acquired directly from individuals or online.

With the alternative of baby formula, is it ethical for parents of healthy babies to be putting their newborns at risk by feeding them breast milk from unidentified sources? It is understandable for high-risk, premature babies who need breast milk for survival to be put on a breast milk diet through a reliable bank. However, it may be counterproductive for most parents who go to these extremes to benefit their children. In addition, it is unfair for parents of healthy babies to tap into the scarce supply of breast milk when there are very sick babies in dire need of this resource.