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Objectives. We assessed attitudes and opinions of members of newborn blood screening (NBS) advisory committees regarding the storage and secondary research use of residual specimens from NBS. Methods. We conducted focus groups in 2008 and 2009 with NBS advisory committees (4 focus groups; n = 39 participants) in the Mountain States region (i.e., AZ, CO, MT, NM, NV, TX, UT, and WY). Results. Participants identified several challenges to implementing policies for storage of and research on residual newborn blood specimens. Themes that emerged from the data were public health relevancy; improvement of parental knowledge; impact of enhanced parental involvement; concerns over ownership, privacy, and confidentiality; identification of secondary research uses; and role of advisory committees. Conclusions. Participants indicated that secondary uses of residual specimens entailed opportunities for improvements in NBS programs but also carried significant risks for their programs. Addressing concerns from stakeholders will be necessary for state-level adoption of national recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the authors discuss the supplemental issue of the journal which examines the replication typology and guidelines for adolescent pregnancy prevention programs in America, as well as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Adolescent Health.

In this article the author reflects on the 20th anniversary of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Revitalization Act of 1993 and on a provision of the law that directed the NIH to establish guidelines for the inclusion of women and members of minority groups in clinical research. In the article the author offers his opinions on the ethical issues associated with research and minorities and on the challenges that are associated with conducting ethically responsible research with minorities.