Abstract

Newborn screening (NBS) is a public-health genetic screening programme aimed at early detection and treatment of pre-symptomatic children affected by specific disorders. It currently involves protein-based assays and PCR to confirm abnormal results. We propose that DNA microarray technology might be an improvement over protein assays in the first stage of NBS. This approach has important advantages, such as multiplex analysis, but also has disadvantages, which include a high initial cost and the analysis/storage of large data sets. Determining the optimal technology for NBS will require that technical, public health and ethical considerations are made for the collection and extent of analysis of paediatric genomic data, for privacy and for parental consent.

Author affiliations

1. Nancy S. Green is at the March of Dimes Birth Defect Foundation, 1275 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, New York, 10605, USA, and is also at the Departments of Pediatrics and Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, USA.
2. Kenneth A. Pass is at the Biggs Laboratory, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York, 12201-0509, USA.

Correspondence to: Nancy S. Green¹ Email: ngreen@modimes.org

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