Support SF 2047 (Marty) and HF 2526 (Norton)
Newborn Screening Program Restoration Act
With a drop of blood from a newborn’s heel, a life can be saved.
Since the inception of Minnesota’s newborn screening program in 1965, more than 5,000
children have been saved from severe disability or death. In 2013 alone, 134 children had
a heritable or congenital defect detected through the program -- that's one every few days
RESTORE.
Minnesota's newborns are being harmed by changes brought about by legislative changes in
response to the 2011 Minnesota Supreme Court “Bearder vs. Minnesota.” Minnesota is one of
only a small handful of states that so quickly destroy newborn screening data soon after birth,
putting babies and families at risk.
SAVE.
Storage of blood spots and data assure proper diagnosis, timely follow up for critically ill
children, and for reanalysis when necessary. Additionally, storage supports quality
improvement and the development of new tests that lead to life-saving treatments.
LEAD.
If given the opportunity, Minnesota's newborn screening program can once again serve as a
national leader in saving as many lives as possible from death, disability and impairment.
SF 2047 and HF 2526 repeal the dangerously short time frames associated with storage of
test samples and results. These retention periods, set in law in 2012, are inadequate to
conduct additional testing that leads to accurate and timely diagnosis of certain diseases,
which may or may not be apparent right away. These timeframes put babies and children
at risk now and in the future. Furthermore, the mandated destruction of test results
dramatically hinders new test development, adequate quality control, and testing
assurance.
These bills maintain important privacy safeguards, and preserve parents’ and legal
guardians’ rights to forgo testing or seek testing at a private laboratory.
Save lives. Support SF 2047/HF 2526.
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American Academy of Pediatrics, Minnesota Chapter
American Heart Association
Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota
Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare
March of Dimes
Mayo Clinic
Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians
Contact: Eric Dick, MNAAP Legislative Affairs
eric@mnaap.org / 612-747.3683
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Minnesota Hospital Association
Minnesota Medical Association
Sanford Health
Save Babies through Screening Foundation
Shriners Hospital for Children
University of Minnesota