IGT Celebrates Introduction of the Surge to Save Newborns Act

Representatives Nick Langworthy (R-NY) and Kim Schrier (D-WA) recently introduced the bipartisan Surge to Save Newborns Act, which would provide states with dedicated resources to implement newborn screenings for serious health conditions included on the federal Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP). IGT Chairman Erik Paulsen issued the following statement:

"We are grateful to Representatives Langworthy and Schrier for their leadership on the Surge to Save Newborns Act. A federal recommendation to screen for a condition means nothing if states lack the resources to act on it. This legislation closes that gap, providing dedicated funding to states while preserving their responsibility for operating newborn screening programs and creating real accountability for progress.

"For the gene therapy community, newborn screening is not a peripheral issue. Many of the conditions that gene therapies are designed to treat are most effectively addressed when identified at birth. Every delay in implementing a recommended screening condition is a delay in getting the right patients to the right treatments at the right time.

"IGT is committed to working with Congress to advance this legislation and ensure that families counting on timely diagnosis have every resource science and policy can provide."