Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday added two deadly rare diseases, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), to the list of conditions the government recommends states screen newborns for.
The announcement came eight months after Health and Human Services, under Kennedy, disbanded the expert committee that reviews new diseases — upending years-long efforts to get both conditions added to the list.
Advocates greeted the move as a critical step toward enabling earlier diagnosis and treatment. Although states set their own newborn screening panel, many follow guidance from the federal government’s Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP). At least two states already screen for Duchenne.
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