Opinion ID: 1839071
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: Were The Physicians In A Better Position To Determine Whether A PKU Test Was Done?

Text: Aside from the facts that PKU is a rare disease; that § 41-21-203 implies that the physicians should perform the PKU test; and that Geoffrey remained in the care of the hospital and its staff for six days, other facts still must be highlighted. Of some significance, for example, is the fact that Dr. Nichols, the Fosters' personal pediatrician, understood the importance of PKU tests. He, in fact, was part of the team that implemented a routine infant screening at the Baptist Medical Center in 1965. While serving on the staff of University Medical Center as attending physician in the Pediatrics Department and as a visiting staff teacher, Nichols knew that this hospital did not screen for PKU at the time of Geoffrey's birth. His commitment to PKU screening was so great that he lobbied the Mississippi Legislature to have it required by law. With Nichols' knowledge of and involvement with PKU screening, it seems that Catholic Charities could be assured that someone would conduct the test. This duty of conducting a test or informing a doctor that the test should be given is not in the province of an adoption agency. An agency cannot be cloaked with the same responsibility as a physician. And, there is no way that Catholic Charities reasonably could have foreseen that all of these doctors and medical professionals would overlook this crucial concern and fail to perform a PKU test.