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...samples are kept...in case the DNA is ever need to help parents identify a missing or deceased child. The samples are also used for medical research.
Art Caplan, a bioethicist at the University of Pennsylvania, says he understands why states don't first ask permission to screen babies for genetic diseases. "It's paternalistic, but the state has an overriding interest in protecting these babies," he says.
DNA given to outside researchers
Genetic testing for newborns started in the 1960s with testing for diseases and conditions that, if undetected, could kill a child or cause severe problems, such as mental retardation. Since then, the screening has helped save countless newborns.
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I see more benefits than problems after reading this article. Storing a child's DNA helps identify missing or deceased children for one. Also, it was found that the child above was at risk for cystic fibrosis...that information could be helpful for early detection and treatment.
Only some selected research companies receive the DNA and genetic testing results, and those results are only released without the child's name attached. Medical research is a good thing.