The high price of false positives

There is rapid expansion of newborn screening throughout the United States. A recent report from the American College of Medical Genetics has recommended a mechanism by which decisions are made about adding tests to the screening panel, and a core panel of 29 conditions has been recommended. Implementing such a program is a major undertaking in every state and involves not only the laboratory but also a number of diagnostic and follow-up services. It is essential to have laboratory programs in place to minimize false positive screening tests and at the same time communicate in the most effective manner possible about the nature of false positives.