I'm no great fan of universal testing, but Edmundson might bring me around.

Although universal testing is recommended, testing should remain a voluntary decision by the pregnant woman.

That said, most cystic fibrosis cases are first diagnosed through universal genetic testing at birth.

So the advocates of universal testing will urge the collection of DNA at birth.

But the threat posed by mini-blinds and other potential sources is not enough to justify universal testing, he said.

Medical authorities do not believe that universal testing would be helpful.

Faced with an incipient epidemic, the British government finally came clean two years ago, had all older cattle killed and instituted universal testing of livestock.

"But it has to be universal testing, in private hospitals as well as public."

He said with new guidelines, universal testing of children for lead levels would be necessary.

"Compulsory, universal testing isn't reliable, and it is extremely expensive," said Lucille Joel, the organization's president.