Newborn screening (NBS), the process of collecting and testing specimen samples from infants shortly after birth, is statutorily required by all 50 states and DC. Each year, up to 5,000 infants test positive for a condition through NBS, which provides an opportunity for early identification of conditions that would otherwise go undetected. State NBS programs have grown rapidly over the last decade, facilitated by advancements in treatment and screening technology. As these advancements make it possible to expand NBS programs, states will face infrastructural challenges that require system adaptation.

In “As Advancements in Treatment Drive a Newborn Screening Evolution, Will States and the Federal Government Be Able to Keep Up?” Avalere experts discuss the following:

• State and federal roles in NBS policy
• Factors considered by NBS decision makers
• The impact of advancements in treatment and screening technology on the NBS landscape
• State-level barriers to adopting new screening requirements
• The Newborn Screening Saves Live Reauthorization Act that is currently under consideration in the Senate

Read the full piece on the Health Affairs blog. To receive Avalere updates, connect with us.