Stored Guthrie cards as DNA [open quotes]Banks[close quotes]
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center for Mental Retardation, Waltham, MA (United States)
Recently there has been much discussion about the possibility of using dried blood spots on Guthrie cards as a source of DNA for research or testing purposes. The collections of Guthrie cards stored by state newborn-screening laboratories can thus be viewed as inchoate [open quotes]DNA banks[close quotes]. This has generated concern among some persons who are interested in preserving the privacy of medical records. This study examines the policies of state newborn-screening laboratories in the United States, regarding their retention of Guthrie cards and the degree to which they permit the sharing of those cards with various third parties. The authors found that although most laboratories retain their cards, if at all, for only a short time, a growing number plan to keep them for an extended period-and, in several cases, indefinitely. They also found that although most laboratories would decline to release individually identifiable blood spots from the cards to third parties without a written release or other explicit authorization, a large number would at least consider sharing anonymous cards for research purposes. 10 refs., 2 tabs.
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG02-91ER61237
- OSTI ID:
- 6789366
- Journal Information:
- American Journal of Human Genetics; (United States), Vol. 55:1; ISSN 0002-9297
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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