Did you know that newborn babies in the United States are routinely tested for a range of genetic diseases. As this testing is required by the government, it’s often done without the parents’ consent, or knowledge.
Subsequently most parents don’t know their baby’s DNA is being stored in a government lab, and maybe used in medical research.
According to the state of Minnesota’s Web site, samples are kept so that tests can be repeated, if necessary, and in case the DNA is ever need to help parents identify a missing or deceased child.
Genetic testing for newborns started in the 1960s with testing for diseases and conditions that, if undetected, could kill a child or cause severe problems, such as mental retardation. Since then, the screening has helped save countless newborns.
Over the years, many other tests were added to the list. Now, states mandate that newborns be tested for anywhere between 28 and 54 different conditions, and the DNA samples are stored in state labs for anywhere from three months to indefinitely, depending on the state.
In some states parents can request the destruction of their babies DNA sample, in other states there may be no law governing such requests and little recourse to ensure it is done
Read the complete article on CCN.com
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What a great resource!