The government has your baby's DNA
 

(CNN) -- When Annie Brown's daughter, Isabel, was a month old, her pediatrician asked Brown and her husband to sit down because he had some bad news to tell them: Isabel carried a gene that put her at risk for cystic fibrosis.

While grateful to have the information -- Isabel received further testing and she doesn't have the disease -- the Mankato, Minnesota, couple wondered how the doctor knew about Isabel's genes in the first place. After all, they'd never consented to genetic testing.

It's simple, the pediatrician answered: Newborn babies in the United States are routinely screened for a panel of genetic diseases. Since the testing is mandated by the government, it's often done without the parents' consent, according to Brad Therrell, director of the National Newborn Screening & Genetics Resource Center.
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http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/02/04...ex.html?hpt=C1

Re: The government has your baby's DNA
 

Hi all,

Ive always had concerns about this very subject. In New Zealand for at least the last 45-55 years, new born babies at age 3-7 days have what we call a heel Jab. This was done by a nurse who would come to the house and check how baby and Mother were doing, series of simple tests ect.

One of these is the heel jab, a needle jabbed into the babies heel, then heel squeezed till blood appeared then collected by nurse and taken away for testing...routine checks as they say...When my first born had it done it was quite traumatic for the baby and myself as it really hurt them when they did the squeeze trick! So there you have it...sure they would test for all sorts but they now have your DNA on record...I am assuming other western countries do the same?

Peace.

Re: The government has your baby's DNA
 

This does not surprise me..

When my kids were born i was required to send a paper , soaked with a urine sample from their diapers back to the government ( a postage paid enveloppemnt with sample paper was given at each kids birth)

i always knew thats what it was for...

i still did it though...

Re: The government has your baby's DNA
 

Hi Ross,
The same is done here in the Netherlands. They say it is used to test for genetic( I'm sure i didn't spell this correct) disorders. At the time I never really stood still by it.