OB-GYN-L Messages for August, 2000: GEN

GEN - Newborn Screening

From: art fougner, md

evsono@pipeline.com

Wed Aug 9 11:03:54 2000

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March of Dimes challenges newborn screening guidelines --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WESTPORT, Aug 09 (Reuters Health) - A national task force has outlined guidelines for screening of newborns that are being challenged by the March of Dimes as favoring costs over infant health.

The Newborn Screening Task Force, which met in Washington, DC in May 1999, addressed such issues as the need for state public health agencies to disseminate model guidelines for newborn screening, the need for agencies to develop innovative testing technologies, and the rights of parents to be informed about screening and to refuse screening.

The task force was sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Health Resources and Services Administration, and it published its report in the August issue of Pediatrics.

"Although there is much in the report with which we agree, we take issue with it in several respects," March of Dimes president Dr. Jennifer L. Howse said in a statement. "There are several specific recommendations for newborn screening programs that we think should have been included in the report, but weren't."

Among other recommendations, the organization says that all infants should receive the same core group of screening tests, tests for even rare diseases should be given to all newborns if early detection will affect a child's health, and all infants should receive the best available test regardless of cost.

"When newborn screening tests for all treatable conditions are universally available and the quality of the tests is assured, it may well turn out this effort will be economically beneficial to health insurers," Dr. Howse said. "Nevertheless, the March of Dimes believes the primary consideration should always be the health of babies."

In an interview with Reuters Health, March of Dimes spokesperson Todd P. Dezen added that the organization wants newborn screening to become uniform in the US through the adoption by all states of a core group of screening tests: tests for phenylketonuria, congenital hypothyroidism, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, biotinidase deficiency, maple syrup urine disease, galactosemia, homocystinuria, and sickle cell anemia.

The March of Dimes commentary will be published in the September issue of Pediatrics.

Pediatrics 2000;106:389-422.

-Westport Newsroom 203 319 2700

any thoughts?

art

-- art fougner, md

A series of 1000 cases begins with but a single anecdote.

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