An updated report on cystic fibrosis (CF) from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, in partnership with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), highlights the new national guidelines on CF newborn screening that aim to detect affected babies earlier, more accurately and more fairly.
CF is a genetic disorder that causes problems with digestion and breathing, impacting about 40,000 children and adults in the United States. Currently, newborns in every state are screened for CF. However, great variation in practice and the genetic panels used contributes to missed and delayed diagnosis, which leads to worse outcomes.
Delays more often occur in diagnosis of infants who are Black, Hispanic, or Asian, in part because these groups…