Ban USED Breastpumps on ebay

The petition

This petition is to ban USED personal single user breast pumps from being sold on eBay. I wanted to get more people signing this mom's petition:
(http://ipetitions.com/petition/usedbreastpumps?e) while also starting my own.

Many breastfeeding mothers need breast pumps in order to establish or maintain a milk supply.

Sadly many mothers cannot afford a brand-new breast pump or cannot find one locally. They will often find a USED personal breast pump on eBay, an online shopping and auction website, not knowing it is not safe.

While hospital grade multi-user breast pumps can be safe for use by more than one mom, "personal use" or "pre-owned" or "single user" breast pumps can be dangerous to use. Buying used breast pumps on eBay is hazardous and detrimental to breastfeeding mothers and babies.

From the FDA Website:
"Should I Buy a Used Breast Pump or Share a Breast Pump?

You should never buy a used breast pump or share a breast pump.

Only FDA cleared, hospital-grade pumps should be used by more than one person. With the exception of hospital-grade pumps, the FDA considers breast pumps single-use devices. That means that a breast pump should only be used by one woman because there is no way to guarantee the pump can be cleaned and disinfected between uses by different women.

The money you may save by buying a used pump is not worth the health risks to you or your baby. Breast pumps that are reused by different mothers can carry infectious diseases, such as HIV or hepatitis.

Buying a used breast pump or sharing a breast pump may be a violation of the manufacturer’s warranty and you may not be able to get help from the manufacturer if you have a problem with the pump.

For more information, visit:
"Are Used Breast Pumps A Good Option?"

Here is that article by Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC from the La Leche League website:
http://www.llli.org//llleaderw...

As I am limited on the text I can submit here, please also read:

Lawrence, Ruth Breastfeeding a Guide for the Medical Professional, Mosby Philadelphia 1994 pp206-210

Blenkharn J: Infection risks from electrically operated breast pumps, J. Hospt Infection 1989; 13:27-31

My main concern is the health and safety issue of used breast pumps, but there is also the issue of misuse and damage to mother or baby, and also the use of a pump not working correctly and affecting mothers milk supply.

I have emailed, several times and to several eBay "people", about this very issue. To my dismay, my concerns are pushed aside. They have either ignored me, or told me they will look into it, or said they see no problem with it. I have never been offered a phone call or explanation.

Ebay bans the use of the following items:
"Medical Devices - examples include contact lenses, pacemakers, and surgical instruments"
--Some breast pumps are ordered by doctors, purchased in a medical supply store, and, although rare, are covered by medical insurance as indeed a medical device.
--The FDA states breast pumps ARE medical devices regulated by the FDA!
http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/breast...

"blood"
--While breastmilk is not considered blood or a biohazard, there can be traces of blood in breast milk. And blood means HIV, and other diseases.

"Cosmetics, Used"
--Why ban used lipstick and not used breast pumps?

"Food:Sealed Containers: All food and related products sold on eBay should be packaged or sealed to ensure that the buyer can identify evidence of possible tampering."
--Shouldn't breast pumps, that give a baby its food be sealed?

Ebay may be liable for the transfer of HIV, and a staggering amount of other viruses and infections through permitting used personal breast pumps on their website.

I also call on the breast pump companies because they need to do their part and contact eBay personally to ban their used products. Most of the breast pump companies have made statements that they do not recommend their "personal use" pumps be used by more than one person, and thus would void a warranty.

Please sign this petition and support a ban on USED personal use breast pumps on eBay to keep mothers and babies safe.

Note: This does not include a wish to ban used "hospital grade" breast pumps.

Sign the petition

Fields marked  *  are required.

* Name:
* Email:
What is your location?:
Comments:
What is your title or profession?:
Are you a breastfeeding/breast pumping mother?:
	Yes
	No
	Not Applicable
Have you ever used a USED breast pump?:
	yes-I have or I will
	no-I have not and will not
	Not Applicable
Have you bought a breast pump or pump parts ON EBAY?:
	Yes-I have or I will buy USED items
	Yes-I have or I will buy UN-USED items
	No-no used or unused breast pump items
	Not applicable
	Display my name as anonymous on the signatures list
	Yes, I want iPetitions to contact me on similar campaigns or petitions.

 

The views expressed in this petition are solely those of the petition's sponsor and do not in any way reflect the views of iPetitions. iPetitions is solely a provider of technical services to the petition sponsor and cannot be held liable for any damages or injury or other harm arising from this petition. In the event no adequate sponsor is named, iPetitions will consider the individual account holder with which the petition was created as the lawful sponsor.