The American Academy of Pediatrics has renewed its call for a nationwide ban on raw milk sales, citing decades of evidence that pasteurization prevents serious illness. The policy comes as at least 27 states now permit raw milk sales, despite a federal ban on interstate commerce, and as outbreaks linked to unpasteurized dairy have increased over the past two decades.
The renewed stance places pediatricians in opposition to a growing raw milk market and to prominent advocates, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who have promoted raw milk. The AAP states that pasteurization does not reduce milk's nutritional value, and that children are especially vulnerable to foodborne pathogens, with nearly half of outbreak illnesses occurring in children.
The risks are illustrated by a recent case reported by ProPublica: a 17-month-old California girl nearly died after drinking raw goat milk contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, and faces lasting kidney and developmental problems. Her mother said she had trusted social media claims about raw milk's benefits. The AAP's recommendation is to ban the sale or distribution of unpasteurized milk and milk products throughout the United States.