Access to Donor Milk Act of 2023
The bill proposes amendments to the Child Nutrition Act, enabling state agencies to allocate funds for activities related to the collection, storage, and transfer of donor human milk. Additionally, it authorizes competitive grants that are intended to expand the emergency capacity of human milk banks, thus facilitating a quicker and more efficient response to increased demand. This could help alleviate shortages and improve the overall availability of donor human milk for vulnerable infants, thereby positively impacting pediatric health outcomes.
SB2819, officially known as the Access to Donor Milk Act of 2023, aims to enhance access to pasteurized donor human milk. The bill outlines the definition of donor human milk, which is milk that is collected, processed, and dispensed without additives. It also stipulates the establishment of nonprofit donor human milk banks that would be regulated under the safety standards established by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The primary focus of the bill is to ensure that families, especially those with high-risk infants, have access to donor human milk that meets these safety standards.
While the bill has garnered support for addressing nutritional needs in infants, notable points of contention may arise regarding funding allocations and the oversight of donor human milk banks. The establishment of nonprofit banks and their regulatory environment could also spark discussions about the role of government in private healthcare practices. Critics may argue about potential funding implications, the balance between federal support and local implementation, and how effectively the bill addresses the specific needs of different communities.