Blood drawn at birth is preserved as drops dried onto paper cards.
State laboratories preserve these cards for periods of time from a few weeks up to 25 years. DNA information derived from these cards has been used to positively identify recovered kidnapped infants and to convict an individual accused of murdering a 10 year old child. DNA from Guthrie Cards, in addition to being screened for genetic diseases in which early treatment is crucial, could also be screened for genetic diseases that currently have no therapies or for other conditions, such as HIV infection. To date, no regulations exist that provide anonymity or guarantee privacy of newborn blood samples on Guthrie Cards. Companies that sell health insurance want access to the genetic information of newborns.