Oregon is enrolled in a nationwide newborn genomic screening research study. The Northwest Regional Newborn Blood Spot Screening Program is a routine screening that babies receive to identify health conditions at birth by analyzing a small blood sample. The new BRIDGES-NBS program uses the same screening coupled with new technology to detect more conditions by looking at the infant’s DNA for genetic abnormalities.
Patrice Held is the manager of the Oregon Newborn Blood Spot Screening Program, and said the new program tests for over 700 different genetic conditions, compared to the 46 conditions in a typical screening.
“This change in technology which would allow for detection of even more conditions that have treatment within the first year of life that could be implemented,” Held said.
The regular screening program has been in place since 1963, and it has taken since then for the program to expand to the current ability to detect 46 conditions. Held said treatments are advancing faster than that program can keep up.
“That is just too slow, to be honest, for where we need to be to keep up with expanding technology and treatments,” said Held.
She said BRIDGES-NBS is a more advanced screening technique that can help identify patients for these treatments.
The study will look at how implementing this technology into the regular newborn screening would function, and how care after diagnosis would be implemented. Held said since newborn blood spot screening is accessible for all families, more advanced screenings that allow for earlier treatment could benefit public health.
“I'm just really excited that Oregon can participate in this nationwide study and really evaluate the feasibility of what this new technology would bring to newborn screening, but also to public health,” said Held.
Any baby born in Oregon can participate in the additional screening for free. Families can enroll in the study at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center RiverBend, OHSU, or independently. Enrolling in the BRIDGES-NBS study does not change or replace existing newborn screening.
