After Signing Bill Allowing Premature Babies to Be Aborted, Pritzker Administration Announces Life Saving Newborn Tests

From the JB Pritzker Administration:

Illinois Department of Public Health Expands Newborn Screening

Adrenoleukodystrophy added as the 48th disorder

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is rolling out today a test for adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) for all newborn babies statewide. 

ALD is a rare hereditary disorder that affects the brain, nervous system, and adrenal gland. 

It affects approximately 1 in 20,000 births. 

“Babies born with adrenoleukodystrophy have normal brains at birth. 

“However, progression of the disorder without treatment can be fatal,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. 

“By adding ALD to the Illinois newborn screening panel, every baby born in Illinois will be tested for ALD.  Babies who test positive for this disorder can then receive therapies during the early stage of the disease.”

Early diagnosis of babies with ALD can lead to potentially life-saving interventions, including adrenal steroid replacement and stem cell transplantation. 

These therapies are only effective during a narrow window, which is often missed. 

Through universal screening and early diagnosis, treatment options can be evaluated by the baby’s health care providers and initiated in some cases before symptoms develop.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services added ALD to the national Recommended Uniform Screening Panel in February 2016.  Implementing ALD screening required the purchase of new equipment, development of new test methods, Clinical Lab Improvement Amendments lab test validation, and computer system modification to provide laboratory results and facilitate follow up tracking. 

Illinois is now the 14th state in the U.S. to screen for ALD.  Additional information can be found on the dph.illinois.gov website.


Comments

After Signing Bill Allowing Premature Babies to Be Aborted, Pritzker Administration Announces Life Saving Newborn Tests — 1 Comment

  1. How about screening illegal immigrants for diseases like this, now that we’re a sanctuary state for law-breaking Third Worlders?:

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5098725/

    Author Summary

    Chagas disease is a parasitic infection that primarily affects poor populations in Latin America. However, awareness of this disease in the United States has increased in recent years. In this study, we utilize data from the American Community Survey and the World Health Organization to estimate the number of cases of Chagas disease in the United States. We find that there are an estimated 238,000 cases across the United States, along with four states that each has over 10,000 cases (California, Texas, New York and Florida). We also analyze data from the United States blood donation which shows that about 1,900 cases have been identified through blood donation. We conclude that there is still a substantial burden of Chagas disease in the US, though the burden is focused in certain geographic regions. We also highlight the need for further research to better quantify prevalence and incidence in order to guide interventions to diagnose and treat patients with Chagas disease across the US.

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