Standard Mischief

or the Fiendish Fluoridators, or the New Weird Odor, or the orbital mind control lasers. Instead, well…

The government has your baby’s DNA

…

It’s simple, the pediatrician answered: Newborn babies in the United States are routinely screened for a panel of genetic diseases. Since the testing is mandated by the government, it’s often done without the parents’ consent, according to Brad Therrell, director of the National Newborn Screening & Genetics Resource Center.

In many states, such as Florida, where Isabel was born, babies’ DNA is stored indefinitely, according to the resource center.

…

I don’t even know what to write here, this is wrong on so many levels. Due Process? Medical Privacy? Secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects?

And to think we’re making such a stink over REAL ID. At least our future leaders will have all the tools they need to find themselves a good organ donor match, eh?

Update: a little quick research on Govtrack.us: S. 1858:
Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act of 2007. Totally under the radar for me. It looks like it passed by a voice vote in the House and it passed the Senate by Unanimous Consent, so ironically, no public records of the vote were kept.