Genomic Uniformed-Screening Against Rare Disease In All Newborns

Last updated: September 15, 2025
Sponsor: Columbia University
Overall Status: Active - Recruiting

Phase

N/A

Condition

Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses (Ncl)

Holoprosencephaly

Treatment

Genome sequencing-based newborn screening

Clinical Study ID

NCT05990179
AAAS9161
  • Ages 1-1
  • All Genders
  • Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Summary

The goal of this study is to learn how genomic sequencing technology can be used to effectively expand the conditions screened on newborn screening. Newborn screening ensures equity and allows all babies to have the same chance at the healthiest life. Families will be invited to have their newborn baby screened for additional conditions beyond what all babies are screened for as part of the newborn screening public health program. Families can choose to be part of the study or choose not to be part of the study and just have the routine newborn screening test. Families will also be able to choose to learn about their baby's risk for conditions that have effective treatments available but are not on the routine newborn screening panel or also learn about conditions for which there is not currently FDA approved medications but for which medications are under development or for which early intervention services or treatment of seizures may improve the child's outcome. Families will be invited to the study shortly after the baby is born and will learn the decision not to participate, and we will interview a subset of parents who agree to be interviewed. Newborns who screen positive will be referred to appropriate providers for care and will be followed through review of electronic medical records and parental follow up via phone, text, postal mail or email.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Newborns admitted to the well-baby nurseries from the recruiting hospitals

  • Newborns born after 33 weeks of gestation

  • Newborns whose parents are English, Mandarin, or Spanish speaking

Study Design

Total Participants: 100000
Treatment Group(s): 1
Primary Treatment: Genome sequencing-based newborn screening
Phase:
Study Start date:
September 06, 2022
Estimated Completion Date:
September 30, 2029

Study Description

Newborn screening (NBS) is the process of screening all newborns for select conditions shortly after birth. This process reduces morbidity and mortality by the detection of medically actionable conditions in pre-symptomatic newborns. Approximately 1 in every 180 newborns is diagnosed with a condition through NBS. NBS is a public health service; every infant regardless of health insurance or ability to pay is tested. NBS ensures equity and allows all babies to have the same chance at the healthiest life. Effective NBS requires coordination and collaboration from multiple stakeholders - the parents, the hospital of birth, state department of health lab, the pediatrician, and the specialty referral center.

Conditions included on the NBS must fulfill several criteria: 1) significant clinical benefit for the newborn early in life including treatment administered within the first few years of life, 2) readiness of public health departments to effectively screen for the condition, and 3) feasibility of successful implementation of population screening. In the United States, screening of newborns is under the purview of state public health departments. Each state decides which disorders to screen, and expansions to each state's panel of screened conditions. The federal government also plays a role through the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children (ACHDNC). With rapid improvements in screening technology, diagnostic testing, and treatments, conditions not previously screened through NBS are being considered. Expanding NBS through genome-wide sequencing (GS) will be the most flexible and cost-effective way to add to what is currently in use.

Connect with a study center

  • Columbia University Irving Medical Center/NYP

    New York, New York 10032
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Columbia University Irving Medical Center/NYP

    New York 5128581, New York 5128638 10032
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

Map preview placeholder

Not the study for you?

Let us help you find the best match. Sign up as a volunteer and receive email notifications when clinical trials are posted in the medical category of interest to you.