Birth defects surveillance program. Collection of birth defects data. Advisory committee - Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-56a

The Department of Public Health must administer a birth defects surveillance program in order to “monitor the frequency, distribution and type of birth defects” that occur annually within Connecticut. The Commissioner of Public health must create a system for collecting birth defect information. The commissioner may access identifying information from hospital records while collecting information and may require acute care hospitals to release the medical records of patients with birth defects in order to conduct research or verify data. The commissioner must maintain personal data as specified in Chapter 55.