Adoptees from the Closed Records Era, how much medical info do you believe is really in those records?

I have read many times that adoptees are demanding their medical information and I am curious as to how much 'medical' information you believe is included in closed adoption records, especially those from the BSE. I surrendered in 1964 and there would be no medical info as I was healthy, my mom was young (38 yrs old and healthy) as were all of my younger siblings and most of my maternal extended family members were healthy as well (at least the ones I knew of). Illnesses and diseases would appear much later in life and of course, would not be included in those then 'closed records', those illnesses and diseases occurring many, many years (decades) after the surrender of my baby for adoption. The paternal side in my equation is intentionally left out as I have no knowledge of who my 'real' father is, then or now. I would share my medical history with my now adult daughter when we were reunited.

2009-01-10T08:35:22Z

I would add this..does anyone have the right to give a family member's health history, without their knowledge and/or permission? Many times being that a family member only has 'info' based on family gossip/rumor. I have read where states want to make it mandatory for surrendering mothers to give all medical history to include other family member's as well. Does the surrendering mother have the right to do this and/or should this be legally demanded of her..decades after the surrender and the act of adoption?

2009-01-10T08:41:32Z

PhilM.."The adoptees I know working hardest on this aren't fighting for their medical information."
I agree with most of what you say, but the fact still remains that many adopted adults do use the 'medical information' as their first and foremost reason for 'opening records' whether across the board or individually. Could the medical info as primary for some adult adoptees seeking opening closed records..actually be a detriment in working towards changing the laws on opening sealed records? I do believe that ANY human being born should have unfettered access to their OBC, as well as any woman who gave birth to a child, whether she surrendered or not.

blank stare2009-01-10T08:29:38Z

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The adoptees I know working hardest on this aren't fighting for their medical information. They are fighting to open those records because they are OUR records. We have a right to know that information because it is OUR information. Open records isn't about medical information. (Open records is also not about reunion, as some believe.) It is about our right to our identities.

ETA: I didn't mean to sound like I was denying your claim. It is true that medical records are used by some adoptees in their arguments. But you explain one reason why that's not a good argument. It is a detriment to open records because it has led to counter-proposals for "medical registries" where natural parents leave information, but the adoptee never gets any identifying info. This proposal preserves anonymity (thus denying the adoptee their rights). Ironically, such proposals threaten natural parent privacy, as sharing medical information is protected by privacy rights, though the identity of parents is not protected information. You are right to point out that getting clear on the nature of the rights involved is crucial to making the strongest argument for open records possible.

Harry2016-05-28T13:10:08Z

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ila2016-05-26T14:40:35Z

I don't think "bad publicity" (as stated in another post) has anything to do with it. I would imagine most doctors would like to have the information that open records could provide. The problem is, they don't have enough time. However, if someone were to get some petitions going and visited doctor's offices and hospitals, there could be quite a few signatures. If a petition is made out designed for the medical field and all signatures on it were from the medical field, it might have a big impact.

Anonymous2009-01-10T09:58:23Z

Most adoptees use the old "I need my medical information" because it shuts down the people who start trying to lay the guilt trip on us for searching. I DID need my medical history, as I had 2 children with serious health issues when they were born, one was genetic. While that was the primary reason at the time I started my search, I had planned on searching from the moment I knew I was adopted- and I was too young to even remember WHEN my parents told me I was adopted.

I do feel we have the right to medical information even without their knowledge. Obviously, we do not need to know if a sibling has an std, but there are medical conditions that we need to know...and that medical info could help prevent an early death, and we can take proactive steps, such as early screenings, etc.

Today's HIPAA rules have made it even more difficult to get medical info.

My "medical history" I received from Catholic Charities was useless. It was 22 years old, and had nothing in it.

kitta2009-01-10T16:55:35Z

The amount of medical info included in sealed adoption records varies, but there usually isn't much info about anyone due to the fact that it just wasn't known, was unlikely to be accurate, and as you said, the conditions hadn't happened yet.

I also do not recall even being asked for medical history on my family. And, I wouldn't have known, since my family is intensely private about this. Some families just are, and mine is one of them.

Some people don't talk about medical issues, and medical opinions vary. Other people's medical records are not available to family members.

In recent years, several states have passed laws requiring surrendering parents to fill out extensive family medical history forms that are many pages long. These forms ask for information on all relatives and do not require permission of the persons whose history is being submitted. The forms ask for every type of condition/disease/bodily organ and include e

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