FAMILY AFFAIRS

Parsons and colleagues studied the families of all nine affected infants and all 10 carrier infants identified by the newborn screening programme for cystic fibrosis after its introduction in Wales. All were in favour of screening. Implications for the wider family were the main problems highlighted. Parents were uncomfortable about not being offered the opportunity to learn the carrier status of their other children. Sharing the information with other family members was problematic, particularly where there were already family tensions. These two unresolved issues are discussed further by Super in the related leading article.
See p 448 …