Dodd, Hatch Laud House Passage of their Bill to Improve Health Screenings for Newborn Children
April 8, 2008

Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) today applauded House passage of their bill to educate parents and health care providers about the importance of newborn screening, improve follow-up care for infants with an illness detected through newborn screening, and help states expand and improve their newborn screening programs.  “The Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act” was approved by the Senate last year and will now go to the President’s desk for his signature. 

 

“Passing the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act has been a long-fought battle, and today I can finally say that we are another step closer to ensuring that every baby born in the United States will be tested for a full panel of genetic and metabolic disorders,” said Dodd.  “These simple blood tests can go a long way in helping newborns grow up to lead long and healthy lives.  I wish to thank Senator Hatch and Representatives Roybal-Allard and Simpson for their dedication to our nation’s children, and urge President Bush to act quickly to enact this legislation.”

 

 

“Health screenings for newborns can mean life or death for infants,” said Hatch.  “Currently, states or regions have their own screening programs which vary widely with regard to the number and types of conditions tested. Some states test for as few as four disorders, while others test for 30 or more, according to the National Newborn Screening and Genetics Resources Center. This act serves as a lifeline for newborns by implementing more uniform testing procedures and by providing states with the resources needed to expand their screening programs to reach more children.”

 

 

"We--the March of Dimes as well as families in every community across the country--owe tremendous gratitude to Senator Dodd for his visionary leadership as the originator of the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act," said Dr. Jennifer Howse, president of the March of Dimes. "Since the first hearing he held in 2002 on the importance of universal newborn screening which evolved into this current initiative, Senator Dodd has made an invaluable contribution to the health and the future of our nation's children.  We applaud Senators Dodd and Hatch for seeing this bill through to passage by both the House and Senate."

 

An estimated 4,000 babies are identified and treated each year for conditions that could threaten their lives or health, often preventing death and long-term disability. Unfortunately, parents are often unaware that while nearly all babies born in the U.S. undergo some newborn screening, the number and quality of tests vary from state to state. As a result, a child with a given disorder will most likely receive successful diagnosis and treatment if born in a state that tests for that disorder, but may suffer irreversible injury or death if born in another state that does not require such testing.  Dodd and Hatch’s bill will provide grants and incentives to states to help implement screening of the full panel of disorders recommended by the Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children.

 

Senator Dodd has introduced this legislation in each Congress beginning in 2002, and convened a hearing on the bill in June 2002 before the Senate’s Subcommittee on Children and Families. Senator Hatch joined him as the lead cosponsor this year. “The Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act” is endorsed by the March of Dimes and the Association of Public Health Laboratories, among other organizations.

 

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