Strollerderby

As someone with chronic conditions, I'd ask for it to be destroyed - I know that you can be discriminated against, medically and otherwise, for medical conditions, regardless of where they came from.  I'd bet that is the concern. I am likely over-paranoid about it, but I feel like you never know - and it's just easier not to have the information out there than do information control after, say you get turned down for a job interview after your employer found your medical records online.

I'd want it destroyed....and basically just because I'm sure they'd be fine without it.  

I saw this on the news and it's incredible that the state of Texas didn't seem to care that parents were concerned with privacy issues, etc.

I definitely understand in furthering research but at minimum they should have asked for consent from the parents.  The amazing part is most parents would have probably said yes anyway.

I think rsc1835 is right- it's a consent issue.  As a Texan mom, I'd have let the gov keep it if there was a reasonable explanation, but I would have liked to have the option.

(Ubacked theoretical generalization warning)I think most Texans have a general mindset that the government should keep information about citizens on a need-to-know basis only.  Anything more than that is grounds for suspicion.  After all, we don't need them meddlin' in our business :)

Has anyone read Next by Michael Crichton? This reminds me of that book. Creepy...

I would definitely want it destroyed. I consider it an issue of informed consent.

Don't you usually sign a paper which states that you let the hospital to use for research all the specimens, which they collect during medical procedures?

BTW, researchers get the samples without names.

I agree with you, Jeanne -- I just don't see that much potential for harm.  If my child's already-drawn blood could be used by researchers to someday cure or prevent autism, I'd gladly hand it over.  As Botanist pointed out, researchers aren't given a name attached to the blood, and as awful as things sometimes seem in this country, we're a long way from Gattaca.  

as long as the blood isnt use to clone my kid im cool with it.

I was asked to donate my son's blood for research when he was born last year in Oregon.  I agreed, I'm all for that sort of thing.  Although, now I have to wonder, when I had my older children (in NY), was there blood taken for research, or just destroyed, because nobody asked me about it.

Anyway, I agree it's an informed consent thing--I had no problem donating the sample, but I would be a little skeeved out knowing they just took it (although, really, I wouldn't care enough to do anything about it).

I wouldn't mind at all if my children's blood was used for research.