CCHC Opposes Baby DNA Banking in Comments on HHS Proposal

(St. Paul/Minneapolis) - According to Recommendations from HHS, the newborn DNA of children is a valuable resource that should be banked by government and made available to researchers without parent consent. Citizens' Council on Health Care has responded in opposition by sending public comments to HHS.

The recommendations were issued in late April by the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children (SACHDNC). The public has until this Friday, June 25, to comment on the SACHDNC recommendations.

CCHC concerns include:

• Failure to recommend parent consent requirements.

• Assertion of a "public good" claim to the DNA of newborn citizens.

• Claims that newborn screening test development is not research.

• No acknowledgement of recent studies that show strong public opposition to banking and use without parent consent.

• Failure to acknowledge the constitutional Fourth Amendment genetic privacy and property rights of individuals.

CCHC's public comments to HHS