The Irish Heart Foundation has welcomed the Health Minister’s decision to halt the destruction of a million heel prick tests taken from newborn babies.
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The samples taken from newborns between 1984 and 2002 were set to be destroyed at the end of the month due to data protection concerns under EU law.
However Minister James Reilly has now instructed the HSE to reverse the decision to destroy them and an expert group will look at the matter and determine how the Guthrie cards could be archived.
The tests are carried out on all babies to screen for genetic diseases such as heart conditions, and Speaking on Clare Fm’s Morning Focus IHF spokesperson Chris Masey says the u-turn will save lives
