Prospects for Expansion of Universal Newborn Screening in Bulgaria: A Survey among Medical Professionals

Abstract

Determining the scope of a newborn screening program is a challenging health policy issue. Our study aimed to explore the attitudes of specialists in pediatrics, neonatology, medical genetics, and biochemistry regarding the prospects for expanding the panel of diseases for universal newborn screening in Bulgaria. We conducted an online survey in March–May 2022. The questionnaire listed 35 disorders that could potentially be included in the Bulgarian panel for universal newborn screening. If endorsing a specific condition, participants had to justify their position by judging its performance against the ten principles of Wilson and Jungner. We found a high degree of knowledge about the current universal newborn screening program in Bulgaria. An overwhelming majority (97.4%) supported the expansion of the panel to include more conditions. Four disorders obtained more than 50% approval for inclusion: cystic fibrosis (87.0%), thalassemia (72.7%), spinal muscular atrophy (65.6%), and classical galactosemia (59.1%). The perception of the condition as an important health problem was the most significant factor in this support. The costs of diagnosis and treatment appeared to be the main source of concern. We recommend country-specific economic evaluations and research on the views of other stakeholders, including the government, payers, and patient organizations, to better understand and manage the complex nature of newborn screening policymaking.

Keywords

• newborn screening
• neonatal screening
• Wilson–Jungner principles
• rare diseases
• screening panel
• Bulgaria