These are taken from your baby's heel. Babies born outside of hospitals should also be tested, preferably at about 48 hours after birth. Parents should arrange with a doctor, hospital, or midwife to have the screening done. The Commissioner of Public Health is responsible for deciding the list of disorders. An Advisory Board, made up of doctors, nurses, scientists, ethicists and consumers, advises the Commissioner which disorders to include.
Most states have specific laws regarding newborn screening.
In Massachusetts you may refuse for religious reasons. If you do so, you may be asked to sign a refusal form. This form relieves your doctor of liability for damages that result from a disorder that could have been detected by screening. Your baby's test results will be reported to the hospital where your baby was born. I was called and told that my baby's test needs to be repeated.