Current through Register No. 40, October 3, 2024
(a) Newborn
screening shall be required for all infants born in the state of New Hampshire,
in accordance with RSA 132:10-a, unless the
parent(s) or guardian(s) object.
(b) The infant's health care provider shall
inform the infant's parent or guardian of their right to opt out of the
performance of the DBS testing per
RSA
132:10-c.
(c) If the infant's parent or guardian
objects to the performance of DBS testing, he or she shall provide a statement
of dissent for refusal of newborn screening to the infant's healthcare provider
or designee, subject to the following:
(1) A
statement of dissent for refusal of newborn screening shall be signed and dated
by the infant's parent or guardian and include:
a. Name of infant;
b. Birth date;
c. Street address, city, state, and zip
code;
d. Hospital of
birth;
e. Medical record number;
and
f. The following
understandings:
1. "I refuse to have blood
taken from my baby to determine if he or she might have a disorder that can be
detected through newborn screening.";
2. "I understand that State Law requires
Newborn Screening for all infants born in New Hampshire.";
3. "I have been offered the Newborn Screening
Brochure and discussed newborn screening with my baby's doctor, midwife, a
member of the hospital nursing staff, or other healthcare provider.";
4. "I understand that newborn
screening is done for the early detection of treatable disorders and that
symptoms sometimes do not appear for several weeks or months.";
5. "I understand that if undetected and
untreated these disorders can cause permanent damage to my child, including
serious intellectual disability, growth failure and, in some cases, death.";
and
6. "The benefits of newborn
screening and the potential danger of not being screened have been explained to
me. My decision to refuse the testing was made freely without force or
encouragement by my doctor, my baby's doctor, hospital personnel or State
officials.";
(2) The statement of dissent for refusal of
newborn screening shall be included in the infant's medical record;
(3) The infant's healthcare provider or
designee shall submit a copy of the statement of dissent for refusal of newborn
screening to the NSP; and
(4) A
copy of the statement of dissent for refusal of newborn screening shall be
provided to the parent or guardian.
(d) Newborn screening tests shall be
conducted as follows:
(1) The DBS shall be
collected from the infant through the heel stick procedure and directly applied
to an unexpired filter paper obtained from the NSP; and
(2) If the newborn screening tests are
performed by a laboratory other than that used by the NSP, the infant's
healthcare provider shall request all tests required by the NSP and provide a
copy of these test results to the NSP.
(e) For homebirths, the attending physician,
advanced practice registered nurse, certified midwife, or designee shall be
responsible for conducting newborn screening, as described in (a) through (d)
above, and the collection of the DBS specimen, as described in
He-P
3008.05(a)-(h) below.
(f) The department shall restrict the
quantity of filter papers made available to birth facilities during periods
when changes to the program are being made.
#8529, eff 12-23-05; ss by #9725, eff
7-1-10
