Zatera Ul

Just read an article about newborn screening in an old issue of a parenting magazine from last spring. There’s a little steam coming out of my ears now, because the article lays out all the benefits of the newborn screen, but none of the risks, and paints parents who opt out as reckless and ignorant. Never mind that the real problem is THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS WHO GATHER THE BLOOD SAMPLES FOR RESEARCH AND LONG-TERM STORAGE WITHOUT ADEQUATE PRIVACY PROTECTIONS AND INFORMED CONSENT FROM PARENTS…THEY COULD CHANGE ALL THAT IF THEY WANTED TO, YOU KNOW!!! If my state would actually destroy blood samples (upon request) immediately after testing, instead of their current practice of waiting up to two years to do it, if they even destroy the samples at all, that would make a big difference for me.

I’ve read the Minnesota health department’s newborn screening forms and pamphlets and web pages. Propaganda from top to bottom. If they can’t even be honest in their paperwork, how am I supposed to trust their promises for ethical storage and use of samples and results?!?

Citizen’s Council for Health Care is still the place to go to get informed on this issue. (Apparently Twila Brase is a neighbor of our formerly-near neighbor Mitch.)