Minnesota Health Department Settles Suit Over Collection of Infant Blood Samples

The Minnesota Department of Health settled a lawsuit challenging its ability to collect and store newborn blood spots (Bearder v. Minnesota).

Under the settlement, which received final approval Jan. 10, the department will comply with the state’s newborn screening laws. It will hold newborn blood spots, or blood samples, for 71 days provided they test negative, and will hold those that test positive or show abnormal results for two years. The department also will pay $975,000 in legal fees to attorneys for the families that challenged the state’s newborn screening laws.

Twenty-one Minnesota families challenged the MDH’s ...