Summary
There is little consistency in newborn screening procedures. Some hospitals may screen for 35 diseases, while another may only screen for four. Officials are recommending that newborns be screened for 29 potentially fatal diseases. Controversy surrounds the recommendation as parents and health care providers discuss the implications of such rigorous testing.
Original source:
http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050221/ZNYT02/502210685
Details
An influential federal advisory group plans to recommend in the next few weeks that all newborns be screened for 29 rare medical conditions, from the well known, like sickle cell anemia, to diseases so obscure that they are known to just a handful of medical specialists and a few dozen devastated families.
But while no one argues with the idea of saving babies, the proposed screening is generating fierce debate.
When testing is not done, parents often end up in a medical odyssey to find out what is wrong with their child.
By the time the answer is in, it may be too late for treatment to do much good.
But opponents say that for all but about five or six of the conditions, it is not known whether the treatments help or how often a baby will test positive but never show signs of serious disease.
There is a danger, they say, of children with mild versions of illnesses being treated needlessly and aggressively for more serious forms and suffering dire health consequences.
And both sides agree that the tests unintentionally pick up about 25 other conditions, in addition to the 29 that the screening is intended to find.
The history of newborn screening, they say, is filled with cautionary tales.
"The majority of newborn screening tests have failed," said Dr. Norman Fost, a professor of pediatrics and director of the program in medical ethics at the University of Wisconsin.
To those who ask what is wrong with simply doing every available screening test, Dr. Fost tells what happened with PKU, the first genetic screening test for
newborns.
In 1959, Dr. Robert Guthrie, a microbiologist at the University of Buffalo whose niece had PKU and who was passionate about stamping it out, developed a simple blood test for the condition.
About the author: Mike Adams is a consumer health advocate and award-winning journalist with a passion for sharing empowering information to help improve personal and planetary health He has authored and published thousands of articles, interviews, consumers guides, and books on topics like health and the environment, and he has published numerous courses on preparedness and survival, including financial preparedness, emergency food supplies, urban survival and tactical self-defense. Adams is an independent journalist with strong ethics who does not get paid to write articles about any product or company. In 2010, Adams created TV.NaturalNews.com, a natural living video sharing site featuring thousands of user videos on foods, fitness, green living and more. He also launched an online retailer of environmentally-friendly products (BetterLifeGoods.com) and uses a portion of its profits to help fund non-profit endeavors. He's also the CEO of a highly successful email newsletter software company that develops software used to send permission email campaigns to subscribers. Adams volunteers his time to serve as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and enjoys outdoor activities, nature photography, Pilates and martial arts training. He's also author of numerous health books published by Truth Publishing and is the creator of several consumer-oriented grassroots campaigns, including the Spam. Don't Buy It! campaign, and the free downloadable Honest Food Guide. He also created the free reference sites HerbReference.com and HealingFoodReference.com. Adams believes in free speech, free access to nutritional supplements and the ending of corporate control over medicines, genes and seeds. Known as the 'Health Ranger,' Adams' personal health statistics and mission statements are located at www.HealthRanger.org
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Tuesday, March 01, 2005
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