Expanded newborn screening: social and ethical issues. 2010

Jean-Louis Dhondt
AFDPHE (French Association for Neonatal screening) and Laboratoire, Hôpital StPhilibert, 115 rue du grand but., Lomme cedex, France. Dhondt.jeanlouis@ghicl.net

Newborn screening and genetic testing have expanded rapidly in the last decade with the advent of multiplex (e.g., tandem mass spectrometry) and/or DNA technologies. However, screening panels include a large number of disorders, which may not meet all of the traditional screening criteria, established in late 1960s, and used for years to justify screening programs. After a period of expansion driven by technological advances, many reports have reconsidered the justification of expanded programs. Many factors have contributed to test-panel discrepancies between countries. The test-panel review methodology, the way health benefits are weighed against harms, and the socioeconomic-political environment all play a role. Expansion of screening also requires reconsideration of the infrastructure (ideally, in the context of national plans for rare diseases) to support testing, counselling, education, treatment, and follow-up. Consequently, economic aspects cannot be ignored and can be a limitation for expansion. New ethical questions have emerged: risks of discrimination or stigmatization, respect of the autonomy of persons to make decisions, parental anxiety resulting from a false positive test (especially when reporting to parents screening results for untreatable conditions identified as by-products of screening), etc. For disorders where there is not yet confirmation of benefit, it may be prudent to recommend pilot screening and to have a mechanism that can be used to adapt or even to stop a program.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007231 Infant, Newborn An infant during the first 28 days after birth. Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D007258 Informed Consent Voluntary authorization, by a patient or research subject, with full comprehension of the risks involved, for diagnostic or investigative procedures, and for medical and surgical treatment. Consent, Informed
D008661 Metabolism, Inborn Errors Errors in metabolic processes resulting from inborn genetic mutations that are inherited or acquired in utero. Inborn Errors of Metabolism,Metabolism Errors, Inborn,Error, Inborn Metabolism,Errors Metabolism, Inborn,Errors Metabolisms, Inborn,Errors, Inborn Metabolism,Inborn Errors Metabolism,Inborn Errors Metabolisms,Inborn Metabolism Error,Inborn Metabolism Errors,Metabolism Error, Inborn,Metabolism Inborn Error,Metabolism Inborn Errors,Metabolisms, Inborn Errors
D010290 Parents Persons functioning as natural, adoptive, or substitute parents. The heading includes the concept of parenthood as well as preparation for becoming a parent. Step-Parents,Parental Age,Parenthood Status,Stepparent,Age, Parental,Ages, Parental,Parent,Parental Ages,Status, Parenthood,Step Parents,Step-Parent,Stepparents
D011237 Predictive Value of Tests In screening and diagnostic tests, the probability that a person with a positive test is a true positive (i.e., has the disease), is referred to as the predictive value of a positive test; whereas, the predictive value of a negative test is the probability that the person with a negative test does not have the disease. Predictive value is related to the sensitivity and specificity of the test. Negative Predictive Value,Positive Predictive Value,Predictive Value Of Test,Predictive Values Of Tests,Negative Predictive Values,Positive Predictive Values,Predictive Value, Negative,Predictive Value, Positive
D011287 Prejudice A preconceived judgment made without factual basis. Anti-Semitism,Islamophobia,Anti Semitism,Anti-Semitisms,Islamophobias,Prejudices
D011379 Prognosis A prediction of the probable outcome of a disease based on a individual's condition and the usual course of the disease as seen in similar situations. Prognostic Factor,Prognostic Factors,Factor, Prognostic,Factors, Prognostic,Prognoses
D005189 False Positive Reactions Positive test results in subjects who do not possess the attribute for which the test is conducted. The labeling of healthy persons as diseased when screening in the detection of disease. (Last, A Dictionary of Epidemiology, 2d ed) False Positive Reaction,Positive Reaction, False,Positive Reactions, False,Reaction, False Positive,Reactions, False Positive
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001007 Anxiety Feelings or emotions of dread, apprehension, and impending disaster but not disabling as with ANXIETY DISORDERS. Angst,Anxiousness,Hypervigilance,Nervousness,Social Anxiety,Anxieties, Social,Anxiety, Social,Social Anxieties

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