Newborn Screening for Congenital Hypothyroidism and Phenylketonuria —Beyond Cost Savings

Although we agree with Appelberg et al that newborn screening (NBS) for phenylketonuria (PKU) and congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is of great value,1 we disagree that such results in net cost-savings. Their contention relies on assumptions derived from cost-benefit studies published 4 decades ago.2,3 In 2005, a commentary in this journal challenged those arguments.4 We later reviewed the frequencies of intellectual disability among individuals with late-treated PKU and CH;5,6 the latter review is the second reference cited in new CH clinical guidance.
Source: The Journal of Pediatrics - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Letters to the Editor Source Type: research