2006 Louisiana Laws - RS 40:1299.1 — Tests

§1299.1.  Tests

A.(1)  The physician attending a newborn child, or the person attending a newborn child who was not attended by a physician, shall cause the child to be subjected to tests for phenylketonuria, congenital hypothyroidism, sickle cell diseases, biotinidase deficiency, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, carnitine uptake defect, long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency, medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency, trifunctional protein deficiency, very long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency, glutaric acidemia type I, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA lyase deficiency, isovaleric acidemia, 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase deficiency, methylmalonic acidemia (CBL A,B), beta ketothiolase, methylmalonic acidemia (MUT), propionic acidemia, multiple carboxylase deficiency, argininosuccinate acidemia, citrullinemia type I, homocystinuria, maple syrup urine disease, tyrosinemia type I, and other genetic conditions that have been approved by the Department of Health and Hospitals; however, no such tests shall be given to any child whose parents object thereto.  Effective July 1, 2007, cystic fibrosis shall be included in the tests that the newborn child shall be subject to by the physician attending the newborn child or the person attending the newborn child who was not attended by a physician.

(2)  If any of the tests are positive, the attending physician or person shall notify the Department of Health and Hospitals.

(3)  The department shall follow up all positive tests with the attending physician who notified the department thereof and with the parents of the newborn child when such notification was made by a person other than a physician, and, when confirmed, shall inform either the physician or parents or both of the services and facilities that are available from the Department of Health and Hospitals and from other state boards, departments, and agencies that are cooperating with the department in carrying out the programs authorized by this Part.  Such follow-up shall include the availability of board eligible or board certified geneticists and appropriate ancillary personnel including genetic counselors and laboratory technicians trained to operate clinical biochemical genetics laboratory equipment.  In the event there is an insufficient amount of counselors, the department shall determine which genetic tests shall be suspended until the proper number of genetic counselors are available.

(4)  These services and facilities shall be made available to the extent needed by the family and physician.  The Department of Health and Hospitals and the other state departments and agencies cooperating with it shall, in cooperation with the attending physician, provide for the continued medical care, dietary, and other related needs of such children where necessary or desirable.

(5)  The tests required in Paragraph (A)(1) of this Section shall be subject to funding for the laboratory tests, follow-up, and treatment.

B.  The Department of Health and Hospitals shall, after consultation with medical geneticists from each of the state's medical schools and by rule adopted in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, add to the genetic conditions tested for in Subsection A of this Section; however, no approved test for any genetic condition added shall be given to any child whose parents object thereto.

Acts 1999, No. 328, §1; Acts 2004, No. 278, §1; Acts 2006, No. 754, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2007.