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The New England Newborn Screening Program helps prevent treatable disorders through early detection. The program started in 1962 in Massachusetts, screening for just one disease. Since that time, the number of treatable disorders in the program has increased, and newborn screening has been adopted worldwide as a routine standard of care.

Why Screen Newborns

Most babies, including those with disorders, appear healthy at birth. Routine screening of newborn babies can help doctors identify and treat certain disorders that are not apparent at birth but can become severe later on.

Massachusetts to offer new pilot screening study

On January 29, 2018 the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, through the New England Newborn Screening Program, implemented voluntary pilot screening for SMA, X-ALD, MPS-I, and Pompe Disease.

Deputy Director Anne Marie Comeau, Ph.D., talks about the SMA screening in a segment on WBUR.