Health Law and Policy Commons^™

Intercountry Adoption: A Need For Mandatory Medical Screening, Darya P. Jeffreys

Journal of Law and Health

Despite the numerous benefits of intercountry adoption, most families do not consider the possible health ramifications. Since adoptive parents are unsuspecting of ailments associated with foreign countries, a complete pediatric examination is a must after receiving the foreign adoptee. Such a pediatric examination will be effective when it is uniform and thorough, but without such an examination both parents and physicians remain in the dark about the child's health. Congress ought to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to require a standard pediatric examination for all foreign adoptees, regardless of the country of origin, as a condition to approval …