House Bill Would Expand Testing On Newborns

A tragedy in northeast Missouri leads to House passage of a bill which would expand the tests done on newborns. John and Carol Hall rushed their two-year-old daughter, Sarah, to the emergency room when a simple cold triggered a reaction that led to her death. She had a condition known as MCAD – a fatty oxidation disorder. But it was never detected. The bill expands the newborn screening process to include seventeen potentially treatable disorders such as cystic fibrosis, glactosemia, and congenital adrenal hyperplasia. It comes at a cost: one-and-a-half million dollars to buy a new machine for the Department of Health.