Families who choose to utilize milk from Madison Area Donor Milk Alliance, Inc. (MADMA) recognize that in doing so they are stepping outside of the current U.S. medical mainstream and that they take responsibility for that decision. In the interest of protecting all involved – donors, recipients, and MADMA volunteers – and in keeping with a strong commitment to facilitating recipients' informed choice, the following Waiver and Release clarifies the scope and nature of this responsibility.
Please do not sign this Waiver and Release unless you fully understand and agree to its contents. By my signature below, I confirm my understanding of and agreement with all of the following.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against direct milk sharing as an option for infant feeding, citing health risks that include the transmission of serious illnesses. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned about risks for the baby including exposure to infectious diseases, to chemical contaminants, and to some prescription drugs that might be in human milk, if the donor has not been adequately screened. In addition, if human milk is not handled and stored properly, it could, like any type of milk, become contaminated and unsafe to drink. The FDA recommends that a parent first consults with a health care provider, and if, after the consultation, the parent decides to receive human milk from a donor, they only use milk from a source that has screened its milk donor and taken other precautions to ensure the safety of its milk.
While MADMA has undertaken the below-described screening and education with respect to the safety of human milk, neither MADMA nor any of its donors, officers, directors, or agents make any warranties or guarantees, express or implied, with respect to the wholesomeness, quality, or health characteristics of donated milk. In addition to risks related to disease transmission, milk composition varies according to individual donor diet and exposure, the age of the donor's infant, and the duration of milk storage.
If you have any questions or concerns about the following statements, please ask a MADMA representative.