On 23 May 2024, Dr. Bradford L. Therrell and his colleagues published a worldwide newborn screening (NBS) update including information that was available at the beginning of 2024 in the International Journal of Neonatal Screening (IJNS, ISSN: 2409-515X). This update was part of a continued attempt to review the global progress of NBS and move towards a more harmonized and equitable screening system.
In this report, the authors present a summary of the recent global NBS activities, allowing readers to compare activities both within and across various regions.
This report serves as a ready reference of national and international NBS activities. As such, it shares knowledge about global program activities and assists in achieving international NBS program harmonization. In addition to providing a comparative reference for developed NBS programs, it provides baseline data to make comparisons of NBS activities in developing and undeveloped settings. The extensive number of references provides a comprehensive library of links to articles describing NBS activities since 2020, which can help readers expand their knowledge about NBS activities. The program updates included here reflect the global NBS activities that are overcoming existing challenges and expanding NBS access to help create a healthier, more equitable future for all children.
The following is the recommendation from Dr. Peter C. J. I. Schielen, the Editor-in-Chief of IJNS and the Office Manager of ISNS:
The International Journal of Neonatal Screening, founded in 2015 by the International Society for Neonatal Screening (ISNS), quickly developed to be the most important journal for scientific papers on the topic of neonatal screening. Its major importance is probably best indicated by an impact factor of an impressive 3.5, granted in 2023 in only its seventh year of existence. In that young history, on 23 May 2024, we met with a new historical moment in the history of our journal—one that will not easily be surpassed. The paper: “Current Status of Newborn Bloodspot Screening Worldwide 2024: A Comprehensive Review of Recent Activities (2020–2023)” was published and it is a paper of truly encyclopedic dimensions.
The ISNS is greatly indebted to ISNS-Guthrie award-recipient Bradford Therrell for composing this opus that will prove to keep its value as a reference to the state of neonatal screening in the world for many years to come. The ISNS extends that gratitude to the co-authors and also to the acknowledged ISNS members that reviewed parts of this extensive and comprehensive document.
The significance of this contribution to IJNS should not be underestimated. Its value is that it illustrates the similarities and differences of neonatal screening programs of all countries in the world. It is the core of the mission and vision of the ISNS to evaluate that global state of neonatal screening and to appreciate those differences and identify areas for improvement, to secure equitable neonatal screening and equal health outcomes for children and their parents all around the world.
Check and read this review paper at the following link:
“Current Status of Newborn Bloodspot Screening Worldwide 2024: A Comprehensive Review of Recent Activities (2020–2023)”
Int. J. Neonatal Screen. 2024, 10, 38. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijns10020038
