Gerald Vockley, MD, PhD, Head of the Division of Medical Genetics at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, provides a brief history on newborn screening.

Newborn screening began with phenylketonuria (PKU). In the 1960s, Dr. Robert Guthrie showed the value of developing a NBS program to screen for PKU since it was a genetic disease that can lead to permanent damage to the body if not treated early. Since babies with PKU appear normal at birth, NBS is important to establish a proper treatment/diet plan as soon as possible.