(a) It shall be the duty of the administrative officer or other persons in charge of each institution caring for infants 28 days or less of age, or the physician attending a newborn child or the person attending a newborn child that was not attended by a physician to cause to have administered to every such infant or child in his care a reliable test for hypothyroidism and a reliable test for phenylketonuria (PKU), such as the Guthrie test, or any other test considered equally reliable by the State Board of Health and a reliable test for sickle cell anemia, sickle cell trait, and/or abnormal hemoglobin and such other tests relating to mental retardation or other heritable diseases and conditions as are designated by the Board of Health. Provided, however, that the Board of Health shall designate only conditions that are detectable by mass screening of newborn infants. Initial mass screening tests and the recording of results shall be performed by the Public Health Laboratory at such times and in such manner as may be prescribed by the State Board of Health; confirmatory tests shall be undertaken by such laboratory facilities as are designated by the attending physician or parent; provided, that no such initial screening or confirmatory tests shall be given to any child whose parents object thereto on the grounds that such tests conflict with their religious tenets and practices. In the event a test is not given to a child on account of such objections by the parents, then no physician, nurse, laboratory technician, person administering tests, hospital, institution or other health care provider shall be liable for failure to administer the test.
(b) The State Board of Health shall promulgate such rules and regulations as it considers necessary to provide for the care and treatment of those newborn infants whose tests are determined positive, including but not limited to, advising dietary treatment for such infants. The State Board of Health shall promulgate any other rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the provisions of this section including the collection of a reasonable fee for the newborn child screening program.
Structure Code of Alabama
Title 22 - Health, Mental Health, and Environmental Control.
Title 1 - Health and Environmental Control Generally.
Chapter 20 - Miscellaneous Health Laws.
Section 22-20-1 - Use of Common Drinking Cups or Towels in Public Places Prohibited.
Section 22-20-2 - Prevention of Infantile Blindness.
Section 22-20-4 - Location and Extension of Cemeteries.
Section 22-20-5 - Regulations for Establishments Handling Food and Providing Public Accommodations.
Section 22-20-5.1 - Cottage Food Production.
Section 22-20-5.2 - Food Service Establishments to Secure Covers of Grease Traps.
Section 22-20-5.4 - Serving Wine or Beer in Food Service Establishments or Dog Parks.
Section 22-20-6 - Butchering, etc., of Legally Taken Wild Animals.
Section 22-20-7 - Inspection of Dairy Farms, Milk-Cooling Stations, Etc.
Section 22-20-8 - Depositing Dead Animals or Nauseous Substances in Water Supplies.
Section 22-20-9 - Depositing Dead Animals or Fowl in Running Streams.
Section 22-20-10 - Duty to Drain Areas in Construction Works.
Section 22-20-11 - Restrictions on Retail Sales of Certain Poisons.
Section 22-20-12 - Advertisements Concerning Impotency, Prostatic Troubles, Etc.