Australian mothers pay up to $1,000 for it on the Internet due to the country’s shortage of breast-milk banks, the Courier Mail reports. Legitimate banks in hospitals are difficult to set up, according to the Courier Mail, because inconsistent legislation in different Australian states classifies breast milk as either human tissue, bodily fluid, or food, each with its own guidelines. [%comments]
Black-Market Breast Milk
and 
. You can also watch it on 
Well certainly our government will manage health care issues differently.
Brian,
If you are somehow trying to make a shortage of breast milk into a display of the evils of universal health care, you’ve got a one track mind.
The point of the blurb is related to SuperFreakonomics. The part about not being able to trade human tissue and repugnance to trading human body resources.
“There’s gold in them thar hills!”
There are tons of high quality powdered breast milk substitutes. Why take the trouble of having breast milk banks?
Breast may be best, but unless your wee mite is alergic to formula – who in thier right mind would pay $1000 for a litre of breast milk?
Whatever small advantage this gives must be outweighed by the inherent risks of buying an unregulated product.
I believe the way breastfeeding is promoted has a lot to do with this attitude – from my experience it is close to scaremongering. We need to have less ‘sexed up’ reports on health issues – particularly for new mums and mums to be.
2Nicolas – Because someone wants it more? This is the power of free markets.. in another words, if i were a central planner, i will definitely forget to plan this
Thanks for the laugh, Luke P! That’s the funniest comment I’ve ever seen on this blog.
Just a few points to ponder.
1. Antibodies found in breast milk are not found in powdered substitutes.
2. While “Breast is Best” campaigns may be classified as scaremongering, someone willing to pay $1000 for breast milk is just foolish.
3. As a bodily fluid there is a tremendous risk of disease or other contamination issues, and therefore should be managed/inspected when sold or traded.
4. It is unfortunate that Aussie states cannot come to a consensus on how to manage this.
5. I’d like to see some statistics on just how many geniuses paid $1000 for breast milk. I am guessing, it will be a very very small pool.