Newborn Screening Program Updates

Sign Up to Receive Program Updates

To more efficiently communicate with all clients, the Oregon Newborn Bloodspot Screening Program is collecting email addresses for the facilities and providers that submit specimens to our laboratory. This list is intended to share program information and updates, not laboratory results. To sign up, complete our brief online form.

Newborn Bloodspot Screening Program Notices

Updated Screening Guidelines - Effective May 20, 2024

The Northwest Regional Newborn Bloodspot Screening Program has updated the specimen collection guidelines for babies who are delivered early or have low birth weight. These changes are being made to align specimen collection with best practices published by the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) Guidelines.

Complete information can be found in our letter to medical providers and on our medical providers website. Please contact us with questions.

Screening for X-Linked Adrenoleukodystrophy - January 1, 2023

Beginning on January 1, 2023, all specimens, including first and second screens, received for newborn screening at the OSPHL are tested for X-Linked Adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD). Complete details for healthcare providers can be found in the November 29, 2022 Oregon healthcare provider letter. The Northwest Regional Newborn Bloodspot Screening Program Practitioner’s Manual contains information about X-ALD and other disorders on the screening panel.

Please refer to the ACMG fact sheet for more information about newborn screening for X-ALD. For more information about newborn screening, please refer to Baby’s First Test.

Previous Provider Communications

Letter: July 27, 2022 (pdf) - Fee Change effective August 1, 2022
Letter: April 29, 2022 (pdf) - Screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy Began June 1, 2022; NWRNBS Practitioner's Manual Updated

Additional Resource: ACMG SMA fact sheet (pdf)

Letter: November 12, 2019 (pdf) - Oregon Administrative Rule Change and Practitioner's Manual Update, effective November 25, 2019
Letter: September 19, 2018 (pdf) - Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs) added to the screening panel, implemented October 1, 2018