Sickle Cell Disease (Hemoglobinopathies) in Newborns: Screening
Recommendations made by the USPSTF are independent of the U.S. government. They should not be construed as an official position of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The USPSTF recognizes the importance of screening newborns in primary disease prevention. However, the USPSTF does not wish to duplicate the significant investment of resources made by others to review new evidence in a timely fashion and make recommendations. The USPSTF therefore will not update its 2007 recommendation.
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children (ACHDNC) publishes recommendations on screening for heritable diseases in newborns. The methods used by the ACHDNC to review evidence on screening may differ from the methods used by the USPSTF. For the current ACHDNC recommendations on screening, please refer to its Web site at https://www.hrsa.gov/advisory-committees/heritable-disorders.