Three additional conditions approved for newborn screening in MinnesotaThe Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is boosting health protections for newborn infants in the state by adding three new conditions to its Newborn Screening Program. Newborn screening is a public health practice designed to help parents and health care providers catch and treat conditions early in life so they can be treated effectively and limit negative impacts for the child and family. The MDH Public Health Laboratory routinely screens all babies born in Minnesota for more than 60 conditions, and Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Brooke Cunningham recently approved an advisory committee's recommendation to add guanidinoacetate methyltransferase (GAMT) deficiency, Mucopolysaccharidosis Type II (MPS II) and Krabbe disease to the Minnesota Newborn Screening Panel. "Minnesota has one of the most comprehensive newborn screening programs in the country, and regularly considers additions to the program," Commissioner Cunningham said. "I want to thank the members of the Newborn Screening Advisory Committee for their dedication to this important public health service." Although rare, the three new conditions can be serious if not detected and treated early.
The MDH Public Health Laboratory will prepare to begin screening for the three additional conditions by validating testing methods, developing result and follow-up protocols, and working with external partners to establish clinical guidelines. A start date for screening will be determined as this process unfolds. Since 1964, when Minnesota started screening for PKU (phenylketonuria), blood samples from all Minnesota newborns have been sent to MDH's Public Health Laboratory for newborn screening unless their parents opted out. Last year, the lab screened more than 62,600 newborns from across the state and recommended early intervention and treatment for conditions detected in about 400 of them. When a condition is detected, MDH contacts the child's health care provider to discuss the result, inform them about the condition and review the recommended follow-up steps. "As scientific knowledge advances, our Public Health Lab can detect more conditions during the screening process," said Commissioner Cunningham. "By identifying these conditions early, we can help connect infants and their families with life-changing—and potentially lifesaving—interventions and treatment." More information can be found on the MDH website: Newborn Screening Program. -MDH- Media inquiries: |
Monday, August 28, 2023
News Release: Three additional conditions approved for newborn screening in Minnesota
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