ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Department of Health will begin destroying newborn blood samples to comply with a recent court ruling, officials said Tuesday.
A group of parents had filed a lawsuit saying state law prohibited the department from keeping their babies' blood samples as part of the state's Newborn Screening Program, and the Minnesota Supreme Court sided with the parents in a ruling in November.
The state's newborn screening program collects blood from all infants within 24 to 48 hours of their birth. Blood spots are collected on a card and sent to the health department, which checks for 53 different genetic or congenital disorders.
The Minnesota Department of Health said the ruling will make it harder for officials to ensure the quality and accuracy of the newborn screening program. But it says it will comply with an order saying samples should be destroyed after 71 days.
Minnesota Health Commissioner Dr. Edward Ehlinger said his department is seeking changes to the state's genetic information statute that would allow the newborn screening program to maintain quality and accuracy.
In the meantime, Ehlinger said complying with the court ruling could have negative consequences.
"For the first time in almost 20 years, we're going to begin destroying a valuable public health resource," he said in a news release.
By Elizabeth Dunbar, MPR News
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