When a scientist looks in an microscope, what does she see? Is her perception colored by her academic training? Does the vase or two persons looking at each other apply to the medical and biological sciences? One would suspect that visual perception, even in these sciences, is never the same. And yet medical policies and programs do not project those differences of perspectives, at least not publicly. We see one view and hear one voice.
HIV/AIDS policy on breastfeeding is a good example of one view and one voice. The belief that breastmilk transmits HIV is based on whose perception? No research that I have seen has shown "infectious" HIV in breastmilk. Early research on breastmilk transmission is questionable because breastfeeding was never defined. Antibody testing of all pregnant women is viewed by some experts as a questionable. Yet, no longer do we question HIV transmission through breastmilk? It has become a "given."
How much of our perception in the sciences is being manipulated by the needs of industry? The lack of utilization of the Lactation Amenorrhea Method (LAM)is because there is a huge pharmaceutical interest in selling products to consumers and public health facilities. HIV/AIDS policy on breastfeeding is partly driven by the financial interests of the infant formula industry and the newly-formed human milk industries.
Synergy to create good breastfeeding policy and programs is an enormous task. Some of the difficulties lie in ignoring some perspectives and the fact that much of medical research/science is being driven by the interests of the corporate world. What is happening in our world today? We turn over the picture of the vase/two people looking at each other, and there is a company logo on the back. Now, where is our reality? Many thanks to Miriam Labbok for her excellent, thought-provoking article.
International Breastfeeding Journal
Creating synergy in science
10 August 2008
When a scientist looks in an microscope, what does she see? Is her perception colored by her academic training? Does the vase or two persons looking at each other apply to the medical and biological sciences? One would suspect that visual perception, even in these sciences, is never the same. And yet medical policies and programs do not project those differences of perspectives, at least not publicly. We see one view and hear one voice.
HIV/AIDS policy on breastfeeding is a good example of one view and one voice. The belief that breastmilk transmits HIV is based on whose perception? No research that I have seen has shown "infectious" HIV in breastmilk. Early research on breastmilk transmission is questionable because breastfeeding was never defined. Antibody testing of all pregnant women is viewed by some experts as a questionable. Yet, no longer do we question HIV transmission through breastmilk? It has become a "given."
How much of our perception in the sciences is being manipulated by the needs of industry? The lack of utilization of the Lactation Amenorrhea Method (LAM)is because there is a huge pharmaceutical interest in selling products to consumers and public health facilities. HIV/AIDS policy on breastfeeding is partly driven by the financial interests of the infant formula industry and the newly-formed human milk industries.
Synergy to create good breastfeeding policy and programs is an enormous task. Some of the difficulties lie in ignoring some perspectives and the fact that much of medical research/science is being driven by the interests of the corporate world. What is happening in our world today? We turn over the picture of the vase/two people looking at each other, and there is a company logo on the back. Now, where is our reality? Many thanks to Miriam Labbok for her excellent, thought-provoking article.
Competing interests
None