Genetics

Parents Win In Lawsuit Against Michigan Over Stolen Blood From Newborn Babies; No Consent Means It’s Unconstitutional

ST. PAUL, Minn. — In a landmark case, a Michigan law firm, Outside Legal Counsel, has successfully sued the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. In a major win for the rights of parents and against the government’s long-term storage of a child’s DNA, the court ruled that the state’s unconsented storage and research are unconstitutional. 

Contact Congress About 3 Critical Health Care Issues While They Are Home for Recess

ST. PAUL, Minn.—Even though Congress could be called back from the August recess to address gun measures after the devastating shootings in El Paso and Dayton, Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom (CCHF) is urging state residents to contact their U.S. Senators and Representatives about three important health care issues.

5 Years Since MN Resumed Storing Baby DNA After Lawsuit Forced Them to Stop

ST. PAUL, Minn.—More than 15 years ago, Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom (CCHF, www.cchfreedom.org) discovered that the Minnesota Department of Health was storing and using Baby DNA—the genetic blueprints of its youngest citizens obtained through newborn screenings—without parental consent. 

Iceland on Way to Eugenics with Eradication of Down Syndrome Births

ST. PAUL, Minn.—The nation of Iceland is working to eradicate Down syndrome births by making sure expectant mothers know about government pre-natal testing that would show if their baby has the genetic disorder.

Health Care Spending to Climb Through 2024;

ST. PAUL, Minn.—Health care is an always-moving, always-changing entity, with new developments every day—some of which compromise patients’ private medical information, as well as the care their doctors can offer them.

President’s “Precision Medicine” Ploy?

The President wants your genetic code. Mr. Obama has announced a new “Precision Medicine Initiative” (PMI) that includes databasing medical records, genetic blueprints and lifestyles of a million or more Americans. Here are seven disturbing aspects of his initiative:

Senate Passes Amendment Protecting Privacy— Measure Heads to House Today

ST. PAUL, Minn.—The U.S. Senate last night passed an Amendment to the “Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2014” (H.R. 1281) that will take a necessary step to protect babies’ private genetic data and ensure that parents are informed about their newborn’s screening blood spots and how they will be used.

CCHF to Lame Duck Lawmakers: Reject Baby DNA Storage without Parental Consent

Don’t Allow Government to Collect and Store Genetic Blueprint of America’s Citizens

ST. PAUL, Minn.—In the current lame duck session of Congress, which began last Wednesday, Senators and Representatives will be on a fast-and-furious mission to clear leftover business and push through the last remaining bills before newly elected lawmakers take office in January.

House to Vote Tuesday on Newborn Blood Screening without Parental Consent

ST. PAUL, Minn.—The U.S. House of Representatives will vote on Tuesday on the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2014 (H.R.1281), which would extend for five years the funding program that allows states to collect and store newborn DNA without parental consent.

Minnesota House Rejects Parental Consent and Genetic Privacy Rights for Newborn Babies

Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom (CCHF, www.cchfreedom.org) released the following statement after the Minnesota State House voted 69-58 yesterday to repeal genetic privacy for newborns and allow the state to collect and store newborn DNA without parental consent.