1. (a) The minimum blood specimen collection requirements for the screening described in 7 AAC 27.510 are the following:

   1. (1) one specimen must be collected before the newborn child is 48 hours of age;
   2. (2) if the screening of the initial specimen shows an abnormal result for one or more of the tested conditions or the specimen was contaminated, spoiled, or otherwise not adequate for screening, a second specimen must be collected if requested by the department; and
   3. (3) a second specimen may be required if a newborn child is born prematurely, has a low birth weight, or is admitted to a specialty care unit according to the department's and the unit's screening procedures.
2. (b) The blood specimen must be collected using the procedure described on the test card for the screening provided by the department. The specimen must be submitted on the test card provided by the department. All information requested on the test card must be provided by the attending health care provider. The specimen must be shipped to the designated laboratory not later than 24 hours after the time the specimen is collected, according to the department's and facility's guidelines and at the department's expense.
3. (c) If a parent or guardian of a newborn child refuses to permit collection of a specimen, the department encourages the parent or guardian to affirm that refusal by signing a refusal statement, including the same information requested on the test card. The health care provider shall send a copy of the refusal statement to the department. If the parents do not sign the refusal statement, the health care facility shall send the department a copy of the unsigned refusal statement and state in writing on the unsigned statement that the parent or guardian refused to permit collection of a specimen and refused to sign the refusal statement.

(Eff. 12/30/77, Register 64; am 10/31/82, Register 84; am 2/3/88, Register 105; am 7/13/94, Register 131; am 12/13/97, Register 144; am 7/16/2011, Register 199; am 7/1/2018, Register 226)