PRINTER'S NO. 2323

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

No.

452

Session of

2017

INTRODUCED BY CRUZ, DiGIROLAMO, KINSEY, SCHLOSSBERG, MURT,

DAVIS, ROZZI, HENNESSEY, SONNEY, LONGIETTI, READSHAW,

CALTAGIRONE, KORTZ, V. BROWN, WATSON, FREEMAN, MILLARD,

Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, Newborn screening is the practice of screening every

newborn for certain harmful or potentially fatal conditions that

are not otherwise apparent at birth; and

WHEREAS, Early detection of these conditions in newborns

facilitates timely interventions that result in significant

decreases in morbidity, mortality and disability; and

WHEREAS, Newborn screening is a comprehensive system that

includes testing, diagnosis, follow-up, treatment, education and

evaluation; and

WHEREAS, Newborn screening began in 1963 in the United States

with testing for phenylketonuria (PKU); and

WHEREAS, Pennsylvania began newborn screening with the act of

September 9, 1965 (P.L.497, No.251), known as the Newborn Child

Testing Act, by requiring physicians, hospitals and other

institutions to administer tests or cause tests to be

administered for PKU and other metabolic diseases upon infants;

and

WHEREAS, Since first enacted in 1965, the Newborn Child

Testing Act has been amended three times, most recently with Act

WHEREAS, The Commonwealth's Newborn Screening and Follow-up

Program is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of

Health; and

WHEREAS, "Newborn Screening Awareness Month" was started in

2000 by the Save Babies Through Screening Foundation, along with

several partner organizations, to shine a national spotlight on

newborn screening and its detectable diseases; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives observe the month

of September 2017 as "Newborn Screening Awareness Month" in

Pennsylvania; and be it further