Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 9288)
The short title of Republic Act No. 9288 is the "Newborn Screening Act of 2004."
The State declares that it is the policy to protect and promote the right to health of the people, including the rights of children to survival and full and healthy development as normal individuals, and to institutionalize a national newborn screening system that is comprehensive, integrative, sustainable, and collaborative among various sectors.
The objectives are: (1) to ensure every newborn has access to screening for heritable conditions that can cause mental retardation, serious health complications or death; (2) to establish and integrate a sustainable newborn screening system in the public health system; (3) to ensure health practitioners are aware of their responsibilities regarding newborn screening; and (4) to ensure parents understand their responsibility in promoting their child's health through newborn screening.
Newborn Screening is defined as the process of collecting a few drops of blood from the newborn onto an appropriate collection card and performing biochemical testing to determine if the newborn has a heritable condition.
Health care practitioners include physicians, nurses, midwives, nursing aides, and traditional birth attendants.
Newborn screening should be performed after 24 hours of life but not later than 3 days from complete delivery. For newborns requiring intensive care, testing must be done by seven days of age.
Any health practitioner delivering or assisting in delivery must inform the parents or legal guardian about the availability, nature, and benefits of newborn screening.
Yes, parents or legal guardians may refuse testing on the grounds of religious beliefs but must acknowledge in writing their understanding that refusal places their newborn at risk for undiagnosed heritable conditions.
The Department of Health (DOH) is the lead agency responsible for implementing the Act.
The Committee reviews and recommends conditions for the newborn screening panel, sets screening fees, oversees quality assurance of screening centers, and meets at least twice a year to ensure inter-agency collaboration.
Centers must have certified laboratories performing all tests, recall/follow-up programs, trained and qualified staff, and must submit to periodic inspections by the NIH Newborn Screening Reference Center.
It maintains the national testing database and case registries, provides training and technical assistance, drafts laboratory standards, and conducts quality assurance and proficiency testing.
At least 4% go to DOH Centers for Health Development for follow-up and education, another 4% to Newborn Screening Centers for human resource development and equipment, 4% to the NIH Reference Center for supervision and education, and the balance covers operational expenses of the screening centers.
If any provision is declared unconstitutional or invalid, other unaffected provisions remain in full force and effect.