Babies fed defective formula are still being treated for neurological damage
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《英国医生杂志》
A year after the deaths from encephalopathy of two Israeli infants who were exclusively fed a soya formula made in Germany that lacked vitamin B1 (thiamin) (BMJ 2003;327:1128) nine children are still being treated for serious neurological damage.
Although they regularly undergo blood tests and other procedures several of them feel no pain and never cry. A recent Israeli cable TV documentary on the most seriously disabled children showed them staring into space and barely able to move. While some babies being treated are improving, others seem to be irreversibly damaged.
A total of 35 infants identified after the two deaths as having been fed for months solely on the vitamin deficient formula were given urgent thiamin injections. Of these, 10 have no symptoms and are being watched closely for any long term neurological effects. Because beriberi (thiamin deficiency) is almost unknown in developed countries, it took some time for doctors to identify the cause of the deaths and neurological complications.
Humana Milchunion, the manufacturer in Herford, North Rhine-Westphalia, that supplied the non-dairy baby formula to Israel, admitted its negligence, dismissed four employees, and agreed in principle on financial compensation, which is expected to total between $15m (?m; �12m) and $25m when finalised. Humana claimed that it stopped adding synthetic thiamin because it believed that soya beans had enough natural thiamin.
A senior Israeli police investigation team recently recommended the indictment of senior employees at Remedia, the formula抯 local importer and distributor. Israeli police are continuing to question the health ministry officials responsible for supervising the safety of locally manufactured and imported food, while German police are continuing their investigation.
The health ministry said that it was impossible to prevent a recurrence of such an incident, as there will never be enough staff to test all food manufactured or distributed in Israel. Companies that meet strict criteria and are approved under good manufacturing practice regulations have been trusted to supervise and test themselves. "But we are doing our best to make a recurrence very unlikely," the ministry said.
Baby foods are now regarded as "sensitive products" that are sampled and tested regularly like drugs. The ministry seeks legislation that would raise fines considerably against violators whose products do not meet nutritional claims on the label. "The fines are very out of date and do not deter violations," the ministry said.
Publicity about the harm caused to the babies has increased the number of breastfeeding mothers in Israel. The ministry has also discouraged the use of soya based formula, saying that powder based on cow抯 milk is preferable. Even though allergies to cow抯 milk affect only 2% to 3% of newborn babies, five or six times as many babies were given the non-dairy formula because of misconceptions and misinformation. This was especially true among ultra-Orthodox Jewish families who opted for soya formula to avoid mixing milk and meat.(Jerusalem Judy Siegel-Itz)
Although they regularly undergo blood tests and other procedures several of them feel no pain and never cry. A recent Israeli cable TV documentary on the most seriously disabled children showed them staring into space and barely able to move. While some babies being treated are improving, others seem to be irreversibly damaged.
A total of 35 infants identified after the two deaths as having been fed for months solely on the vitamin deficient formula were given urgent thiamin injections. Of these, 10 have no symptoms and are being watched closely for any long term neurological effects. Because beriberi (thiamin deficiency) is almost unknown in developed countries, it took some time for doctors to identify the cause of the deaths and neurological complications.
Humana Milchunion, the manufacturer in Herford, North Rhine-Westphalia, that supplied the non-dairy baby formula to Israel, admitted its negligence, dismissed four employees, and agreed in principle on financial compensation, which is expected to total between $15m (?m; �12m) and $25m when finalised. Humana claimed that it stopped adding synthetic thiamin because it believed that soya beans had enough natural thiamin.
A senior Israeli police investigation team recently recommended the indictment of senior employees at Remedia, the formula抯 local importer and distributor. Israeli police are continuing to question the health ministry officials responsible for supervising the safety of locally manufactured and imported food, while German police are continuing their investigation.
The health ministry said that it was impossible to prevent a recurrence of such an incident, as there will never be enough staff to test all food manufactured or distributed in Israel. Companies that meet strict criteria and are approved under good manufacturing practice regulations have been trusted to supervise and test themselves. "But we are doing our best to make a recurrence very unlikely," the ministry said.
Baby foods are now regarded as "sensitive products" that are sampled and tested regularly like drugs. The ministry seeks legislation that would raise fines considerably against violators whose products do not meet nutritional claims on the label. "The fines are very out of date and do not deter violations," the ministry said.
Publicity about the harm caused to the babies has increased the number of breastfeeding mothers in Israel. The ministry has also discouraged the use of soya based formula, saying that powder based on cow抯 milk is preferable. Even though allergies to cow抯 milk affect only 2% to 3% of newborn babies, five or six times as many babies were given the non-dairy formula because of misconceptions and misinformation. This was especially true among ultra-Orthodox Jewish families who opted for soya formula to avoid mixing milk and meat.(Jerusalem Judy Siegel-Itz)