Breast pumps are wonderful inventions, allowing a mom to provide breastmilk for their children when away, or even when nursing is unable to happen. But breast pumps are also medical devices, and like other medical devices should only have one user.

Diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis, cytomegalovirus (CMV) can be left in a used pump, and home methods of sterilization will not remove them from the pump. FDA on June 1, 2001 issued this statement:

"The following statement is FDA's position on the matter of reuse of breast pumps labeled for a single user. FDA does not regulate the sale of individual breast pumps by individuals to other individuals. Rather, we regulate these medical devices when they are in interstate commerce. We have not said that this practice is legal or illegal. Instead, we have the following position, which recommends that if the pump cannot be adequately disinfected between uses by different mothers, that the pump not be used by different mothers." "FDA advises that there are certain risks presented by breast pumps that are reused by different mothers if they are not properly cleaned and sterilized. These risks include the transmission of infectious diseases or the risk of improper function. FDA believes that the proper cleaning and sterilization of breast pumps requires the removal of any fluid that has entered the pumping mechanism itself. If proper sterilization of the breast pump can not be achieved, FDA recommends that it not be reused by different mothers."

Please remember, well buying a used pump; you might be providing your child with the gift of breastmilk, but you also might be passing on a disease.