Bill to Protect the Genetic Profiles of Californians Clears Assembly Floor – AB 170

A closely watched bill by Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Glendale) to strengthen notice requirements for the storage of newborn blood samples passed the California State Assembly by a vote of 55-9. The legislation, AB 170, will ensure parents are fully informed of their rights when it comes to the retention, storage and eventual medical research conducted on their children’s dried blood spot samples. It would further require the destruction of stored samples upon request of a child reaching adulthood.

Each year, thousands of newborns are screened at birth for genetic and metabolic disorders, saving countless lives as a result. AB 170 will do nothing to affect this important public health policy. Rather, the measure addresses the storage of samples after these lifesaving tests take place. It will require parents to be notified that their child’s blood and DNA will be kept for purposes of experimentation and require the state to obtain a signature from parents acknowledging that they have received information about the storage of their child’s blood sample and subsequent use in research.

“Newborn blood screening is an...