Implementing genomic newborn screening as an effective public health intervention: sidestepping the hype and criticism

Abstract

Genome-wide sequencing of the DNA that can be obtained from a newborn screening blood spot could provide predictions of thousands of genetic diseases that are not currently included in universal newborn screening. Most of the serious ethical, legal, privacy, and social concerns raised by genome sequencing of all infants can be avoided by implementing genomic newborn screening in accordance with widely-accepted public health criteria.