Of course research should be ongoing, of course these products should not be brought to market without long-term research, of course parents should know the possible impact, or the unknown impact if it is not known, of these new ingredients.
The illegal health claims should be stopped.
Parents should know exactly what they are giving their babies, and the possible or as yet unknown side effects or risks.
You speak as if you think I am in favour of no research!
We have mountains of research showing ff babies are at greater risk, in this country, of a range of minor and major health conditions, from tummy upsets, to hospitalisation, to diabetes, to cot death, and it is highly likely this differential will apply whatever novel ingredent is added.
I think it would be incredibly stupid to assume that the addition of Novel Ingredient X would close this differential - novel ingredients may have an allergic effect on individual babies, for instance, the addition of different fats can make some babies have diarrhoea, and lose water that way (this is one of the reasons these ingredients have yet to be approved in some countries). But in the absence of long-term research, we'd do best t be cautious, wouldn't you agree?
If I had to use formula for some reason, I think I would seek out a brand that had not been changed at all over decades, and I would feel happier that way. But my problem would be I wouldn't know which brand that applied to - because the manufacturers don't let us know.
Failing that, I think I would make my own from diluted and boiled cows milk - which is what mothers routinely did for a long time. At least I would know what was in it....