A SPECIAL care baby team has been honoured for its research trial work, helping cut infections in premature tots and potentially saving lives.

The neonatal unit at Bradford Royal Infirmary has now recruited 205 babies to a study checking if a natural infection-reducing protein in cow’s milk can make a difference to infants’ health.

The team is the top recruiter in the country for the ELFIN study and has been awarded a certificate of excellence for its efforts.

Consultant Neonatologist Sam Oddie, principal investigator at BRI, has been involved in the design and running of the trial and said: “Recruiting so many babies is fantastic especially as the Bradford target has been increased twice - initially from 50 to 100 babies and then from 150 to 180 babies, and it is in recognition of our efforts, that ELFIN has awarded the certificate to our neonatal team.”

The ELFIN study is a placebo-controlled trial which involves giving the lactoferrin protein to very pre-term infants to evaluate if it can reduce infection.

About 20 per cent of very premature babies born before 32 weeks’ gestation develop serious infections, meaning better ways of keeping them well are needed. The babies stay on the trial until they reach 34 weeks.

The protein, which is in powder form and mixed with mum’s breast milk and water to make a 1.5ml dose, is given once a day.

The University of Oxford is sponsoring the trial, with 37 neonatal units around the country able to recruit for it. It is completely blind and neither staff nor parents know whether babies are given the lactoferrin or the placebo.

It comes to an end in December and the results, evaluated by the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, are expected in late 2018.

Dr Oddie added: “This is a trial which has the potential to make a real difference to the long-term outcomes of babies’ health because it could prevent the late onset of infections which can impact negatively on pre-term babies and in some cases be life-threatening. From the beginning the neonatal unit at BRI has been right behind this trial.”