Italy will begin screening newborns
within 48 hours of birth for a series of hereditary diseases,
according to a health ministry decree handed to regional health
authorities on Monday.
The early screening will enable healthcare workers to offer
treatment options before children begin to show symptoms or
damage from their conditions.
In some cases, the early diagnosis can prevent death.
The Italian government is allocating 10 million euros a
year to the screening program, starting this year.
Screenings will begin on an experimental basis for a series
of hereditary metabolic disorders.
"Thanks to this measure, current newborn screening programs
will be strengthened and broadened to effectively prevent
inherited metabolic diseases, promoting the utmost uniformity in
the application of early neonatal screening throughout the
country," said Health Minister Beatrice Lorenzin.
"In this way, damage caused by a delay in diagnosis can be
prevented for these children."
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