Genomic Uniformed-Screening Against Rare Disease In All Newborns

Newborn screening (NBS) is the process of screening all newborns for select conditions shortly after birth. This process reduces morbidity and mortality by the detection of medically actionable conditions in pre-symptomatic newborns. Approximately 1 in every 180 newborns is diagnosed with a condition through NBS. NBS is a public health service; every infant regardless of health insurance or ability to pay is tested. NBS ensures equity and allows all babies to have the same chance at the healthiest life. Effective NBS requires coordination and collaboration from multiple stakeholders - the parents, the hospital of birth, state department of health lab, the pediatrician, and the specialty referral center.

Conditions included on the NBS must fulfill several criteria: 1) significant clinical benefit for the newborn early in life including treatment administered within the first few years of life, 2) readiness of public health departments to effectively screen for the condition, and 3) feasibility of successful implementation of population screening. In the United States, screening of newborns is under the purview of state public health departments. Each state decides which disorders to screen, and expansions to each state's panel of screened conditions. The federal government also plays a role through the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children (ACHDNC). With rapid improvements in screening technology, diagnostic testing, and treatments, conditions not previously screened through NBS are being considered. Expanding NBS through genome-wide sequencing (GS) will be the most flexible and cost-effective way to add to what is currently in use.