Our American States

Newborn screening in the U.S. is the practice of testing every child in the country for a number of disorders, many of which can be addressed if caught early. States are in charge of newborn screening and receive advice from federal agencies.

On this podcast, Peter Kyriacopoulos, the director for public policy at the Association of Public Health Laboratories, discusses how the screening works, how it differs from state to state, the role public health laboratories play and the challenges they face. He also explains how the recommended uniform screening panel, or the RUSP, helps guide states in deciding which screenings to include.

A second guest is Kelsie George from NCSL, who tracks legislation related to newborn screening. She fills us in on the legislative landscape on the topic.

Resources

• American Association of Public Health Laboratories
• Early Detection, Diagnosis and Treatment Through Newborn Screening, NCSL LegisBrief
• NewSTEPs Newborn Screening Status for All Disorders, Association of Public Health Laboratories
• OAS Episode 147 Transcription