minnesota newborn screening
program

Storage of Dried Blood Spots After Newborn Screening

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Current MDH storage policy for dried blood spots
Why MDH stores specimens

Current MDH Storage Policy

After all of the newborn screening tests are complete, there is a small amount of blood (less than half of one milliliter) left on the specimen card. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) securely stores this leftover blood sample and the newborn screening results. For babies born after the Bearder, et al., v. State of Minnesota decision on November 16, 2011, MDH will routinely destroy remaining leftover blood samples after 71 days and the results will be destroyed after two years.

For babies that were born between July 1, 1997 and November 15, 2011, MDH has securely stored these residual screening specimens. Due to the ongoing litigation hold regarding the Bearder, et al., v. State of Minnesota lawsuit, these specimens may not currently be destroyed unless specifically requested by the parent.

MDH takes the utmost care to ensure that all stored blood samples are secure. Specimens received by MDH between July 1, 1997 and September 7, 2005 are securely stored in an offsite protected record center. MDH employees do not have direct access to these specimens. Requests for specimens housed at the offsite record center go through both a trained Records Coordinator and the outside record management and document storage facility.

Specimens received by MDH beginning September 8, 2005 are stored onsite in a locked storage room. Only MDH employees who have received extensive data privacy training are allowed access to this area.

MDH stores these specimens securely and in accordance with strict data and genetic privacy standards.
Data Privacy

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Why MDH stores residual newborn screening specimens

Families of infants with positive results will be asked for permission to retain, use, and/or distribute the specimen and test results, for the purpose of laboratory quality improvement and new method testing to help children, indefinitely, through a standard written informed consent practice.

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Updated Friday, 20-Jan-2012 09:30:43 CST