News from KSWO.com Sept. 14, 2007

Health officials to screen babies for more disorders
Associated Press - September 14, 2007 1:05 AM ET
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - State health officials hope a new policy to screen newborns will save at least 10 babies a year.
The state Board of Health today adopted a requirement that infants be routinely tested for 19 additional life-threatening genetic and metabolic disorders.
Presently, 10 tests are given after birth, including ones for cystic fibrosis and hearing loss. The new rule would increase that to 29 tests for a variety of disorders.
The screening involves a drop of blood to be taken from a baby's heel and then sent to a state Health Department laboratory in Oklahoma City.
The additional tests will be phased in during the remainder of this year and 2008.
About 52,000 babies are born in Oklahoma annually.
 

From: http://kswo.com/Global/story.asp?S=7073616

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