Today, Georgia State Representatives Sharon Cooper, Jan Jones, Teri Anulewicz, Katie Dempsey, Chuck Martin introduced HB 567, legislation that would help save the lives of more than 700 babies in Georgia annually. Patient organizations are encouraged to support this legislation by signing the letter of support led by the EveryLife Foundation.
To add your organization to the letter, please email Dylan Simon at dsimon@rareadvocates.org
HB 567 provides a thoughtful approach to expanding newborn screening in Georgia that ensures that all federal Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP) conditions are added to the screening panel in a reasonable amount of time with the appropriate funding. The RUSP is periodically updated using a thorough, science and evidence-based deliberative review process involving a national committee of experts in newborn screening. By allowing Georgia to take advantage of the work done by these medical experts, we can remove the obstacles to needed testing and minimize the suffering that comes from untreated diseases.
For the more than Georgian 700 babies expected to receive a diagnosis due to newborn screening, early detection allows for the diseases to be managed successfully and at a lower long-term cost – not only saving lives, but also saving state funds.
Learn more about newborn screening.
