As Amended
SEC. 41-21-203. Testing of newborn children for certain conditions.
[Until October 1, 2002, this section shall read as follows:]
(1) The physician attending a newborn child or the person attending a newborn child shall provide the child tests that have been approved by the State Board of Health. However, no such tests shall be given to any child whose parents object thereto on the grounds that the test conflicts with his religious practices or tenets. The State Department of Health shall follow up all positive tests with the attending physician who notified the department thereof, or with the parents of the newborn child when the notification was made by a person other than a physician. When a test is confirmed, the services and facilities of the State Department of Health and those of other state boards, departments and agencies cooperating with the State Department of Health in carrying out the program shall be made available to the extent needed by the physician.
(2) In addition to the requirements of subsection (1) of this section, (a) any clinic, hospital, physician or health care provider providing prenatal care to a pregnant woman shall notify the woman that there are newborn screening tests available that may be given to her child in addition to the tests that are required by the state, and shall provide to the woman the most recent information developed by the State Department of Health regarding these tests; and (b) the physician or other health care provider attending a newborn child shall notify the parents that there are newborn screening tests available that may be given to the child in addition to the tests that are required by the state, and shall provide to the parents the most recent information developed by the State Department of Health regarding these tests.
[From and after October 1, 2002, this section shall read as follows:]
(1) All newborn infants shall be screened by the physician or other health care provider attending the infant, using tests that have been approved by the State Board of Health, to detect those conditions listed in Section 41-21-201 and the other conditions specified by the State Board of Health for the comprehensive newborn screening program. However, no such tests shall be given to any child whose parents object thereto on the grounds that the test conflicts with his religious practices or tenets. The tests provided under the comprehensive newborn screening program shall be evaluated in laboratories located in the United States. The State Department of Health shall follow up all positive tests with the attending physician or other health care provider who notified the department thereof, and with the parents of the newborn child * * *. The services and facilities of the State Department of Health and those of other state boards, departments and agencies cooperating with the State Department of Health in carrying out the comprehensive newborn screening program shall be made available to all newborn infants with abnormal screening tests.
(2) The State Department of Health shall provide ongoing epidemiologic surveillance of the comprehensive newborn screening program to determine the efficacy and cost effectiveness of screening newborn infants.
SOURCES: Laws, 1979, ch. 388, § 2; Laws, 1984, ch. 416, § 2; reenacted, 1987, ch. 382, § 2; Laws, 1988, ch. 572, § 2; Laws, 2001, ch. 575, § 1, HB 986; Laws, 2002, ch. 574, § 3, HB 717, eff from and after Oct. 1, 2002.
PREVIOUS VERSIONS: Pre-2002.