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Welcome to the Newborn Screening Program

The Newborn Screening Program, under the direction of the Wadsworth Center's Division of Genetics, performs more than 11 million screens annually for more than 40 congenital disorders and exposure to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The tests are conducted on the quarter of a million babies born each year in New York State.

Although most of the disorders are rare, they are usually serious. Some may be life threatening; others may slow down a baby's physical development, cause intellectual disability or other problems if left untreated. None of the disorders can be cured. However, serious side effects can be lessened, and often completely prevented, if a special diet or other type of medical intervention is started early before the baby displays any signs of the disease.

Screening for all of these conditions is performed on a sample of blood (Guthrie spot) obtained by pricking the baby's heel. The sample is usually taken the within the first few days of life. The blood is collected and then dried on a special paper which is sent to the Newborn Screening Program in Albany. Results are reported to birthing facilities, physicians and, when applicable, specialty care centers.

Newborn Screening Information

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RuSH-Registry and Surveillance System for Hemoglobinopathies is a pilot data collection system for hemoglobinopathies. New York State is one of seven states with funding to participate in the RuSH project. The goal of this project is to establish a population-based surveillance system for hemoglobinopathies in New York.
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