Tuberculosis Testing and International Adoptions

You may have wondered why we are just now hearing commotion over TB guidelines that have been in effect since 2007. I was thinking the same. Why now?

The CDC has been slowly implementing the 2007 Tuberculosis Technical Instructions to all countries, but are adding just a few a year. Guess which country was implemented on July 1, 2009? China.

Guess which country is one of the most popular for international adoptions? China.

Ethiopia was implemented on April 1, 2009 and is another very popular country for international adoptions.

This change in TB testing has halted many adoptions and have left children in an international adoption limbo, unable to return home with their new adoptive families. A bill that was presented to Congress recently would extend U.S. citizenship immediately to children adopted internationally by American citizens. Currently citizenship is extended only after the adoptee arrives in the U.S.

The 2007 Tuberculosis Technical Instructions were added to the 1991 TB Technical Instructions "to make testing more precise by requiring cultures for immigrant applications and refugees thought to have TB." The 2007 TB Technical Instructions also require children ages 2 through 14 to have a TB skin test. Infants under the age of 2 are not required to be tested.

Take a moment and check out the chart on the CDC's Web site to see where implementation of the 2007 Tuberculosis Technical Instructions has already taken place to see how it may affect your international adoption plans.