New Jersey Hit With Lawsuit Over Newborn-Screening Program (1)

The New Jersey Department of Health retains blood samples drawn from infants born in the state without parental consent in violation of the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments of the US Constitution, a federal proposed class action said.

At issue in the lawsuit is the state’s mandatory newborn-screening program, in which blood is drawn from newborns and screened for 62 rare, serious illnesses and disorders.

Hannah Lovaglio, Erica Jedynak, and Jeremiah Jedynak alleged that the state DOH retains leftover blood from the screening program for 23 years after the blood is drawn and uses the blood for purposes unrelated to the ...