Lucille Roybal-Allard: “I recently introduced the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act, which will continue the important work of…”

“I recently introduced the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act, which will continue the important work of the original bill and expand its critical programs to improve infant health across the United States. Every year, thousands of babies are born with genetic, metabolic, hormonal, and functional conditions that severely affect their development. Fifty years ago, these rare disorders in infants would have gone undetected until symptoms appeared, often too late to provide them with the essential treatment needed to prevent lifelong disability or even death. Today, we can give newborn babies a simple blood test that can identify such life-threatening genetic illnesses before symptoms appear. In 2008, Congress passed my original bill, which was a major step toward establishing newborn screening guidelines across the United States. Until that time, only 10 States and the District of Columbia required newborn screening for a complete panel of recommended disorders, and there was no Federal repository of information on these diseases. Today, 49 States and the District of Columbia screen for at least 31 of the 35 currently recommended core conditions. Each year, with newborn screening, healthcare professionals identify approximately 12,000 babies who test positive for one of these rare conditions.…”