Dec 16 (Reuters) - U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday added two rare genetic disorders, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Metachromatic Leukodystrophy, to the federal newborn screening list to enable early treatment, the Department of Health and Human Services said.
The decision updates the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP), which guides state-level newborn screening programs, following a scientific review and public comment process.
Early detection of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) and Metachromatic Leukodystrophy (MLD) will allow children to receive FDA-approved therapies at the most effective time, helping slow disease progression and preserve quality of life, the HHS said.
DMD, a rare genetic disorder, causes muscle degeneration, while MLD affects the brain and nervous system, which leads to loss of motor and cognitive function and early death.
Most children with DMD or MLD are diagnosed at age four or five, when significant muscle loss or neurological decline has already occurred, the HHS said.
The agency said that screening at birth could reduce years-long diagnostic delays, repeated specialist visits, and the financial and emotional strain often associated with rare diseases.
(Reporting by Siddhi Mahatole in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)
latest_posts
- 1
US students studying housing, health outcomes and sustainability win 2026 Rhodes scholarships - 2We analyzed Philly street scenes and identified signs of gentrification using machine learning trained on longtime residents’ observations
- 3The architect of Iran’s military survival remains defiant
- 4All the eclipses, supermoons, meteor showers and planets to spot in 2026
- 5Satellites capture aftermath of Ethiopian volcano's 1st eruption in recorded history (images)
- Vote in favor of Your Number one Cake Type
- Some are walking out. Some are shouting. Some are oblivious. How kids are reacting to THAT 'Wicked: For Good' scene
- Rescuers attempt to dig free whale stranded on Germany's Baltic coast
- Vote in favor of your Number one kind of juice
- Track down the Ideal Weight reduction Methodology for Your Way of life
- SpaceX shatters its rocket launch record yet again — 165 orbital flights in 2025
- The most effective method to Arrange a Higher Medical caretaker Pay During Your Next New employee screening
- Former ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Pro Survives Plane Crash at LaGuardia That Left 2 Pilots Dead
- Solar storms have influenced our history – an environmental historian explains how they could also threaten our future
