Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Health if new born babies here will be universally screened for the metabolic disorder, glutaric aciduria, as is already the practice in the US and Germany; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43915/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Glutaric Acidemia in babies is more commonly referred to as Medium Chain Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency (MCADD). It is a rare inherited disorder (enzyme deficiency) comprising two different groups of disorders: fatty acid oxidation disorders and organic acid disorders.

In order to expand the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme (NNBSP) in Ireland to include MCADD to the disorders for which newborns are currently screened i.e. Phenylketonuria, Maple Syrup Urine Disease, Homocystinuria, Galactosaemia, Cystic Fibrosis and Congenital Hypothyroidism, the matter would need to be considered in light of international evidence, including that from the EU Expert Working Group on Newborn Screening.

Requests for any additions to the newborn screening programme are in the first instance proposed to the screening programme governance group in the HSE. A proposal for the inclusion of Glutaric Acidemia to the Newborn Screening Programme is currently being considered by the National Newborn Screening Governance Group.