Sclerodermalike esophageal disease in children of mothers with silicone breast implants

To the Editor. —Breast-feeding benefits mother and infant. Drs Levine and Ilowite 1 concluded that a relationship appears to exist between breast-feeding by mothers with silicone implants and abnormal motility. This report is flawed both ethically, by lack of disclosure, and scientifically, by drawing unsubstantiated conclusions. A September 3, 1992, letter from M. Jacobs, PhD, of the FDA was sent to CATS corporation director J. Russano. Two of the six affected children in the study by Levine and Ilowite are Russano's. CATS, working with Levine, is gathering data to conduct studies on children of mothers with silicone breast implants. It is not a support group. The FDA letter reviewed a CATS questionnaire to be sent to women with silicone implants inquiring about their children's health. The FDA advised CATS to gear questions in order to obtain information pointing toward unusual diagnoses such as esophageal dysmotility that then could be