Task Force on Global Newborn Screening (TF-NBS)
Joint Task Force of IFCC and International Society of Newborn Screening (ISNS)
Partner Country Identification Survey
Newborn screening (heel prick testing, Guthrie testing) is a proven, high value public health intervention which is unfortunately not available to babies on much of the planet. The International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and the International Society for Neonatal Screening have established a Task Force (TF-NBS) to partner with healthcare professionals and government to support the introduction of screening.
To help identify partner regions and get a current picture of newborn screening worldwide a questionnaire has been developed.
Summarised data will be sent to respondents.
With thanks
TF-NBS Chairs
| Dr Van LEUNG-PINEDA Department of Pathology and Laboratory Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta -US | Prof James R. BONHAM International Society of Neonatal Screening (ISNS) National Newborn Screening Laboratory Lead - UK |
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International Neonatal Screening Day
28 June 2021
Click here to learn more
The Task Force NBS members during their inaugural meeting.
Prof Adeli, IFCC President participated into the meeting. Dr U. Ceglarek, not portrayed here, was in attendance as well.
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Newborn screening (NBS) reduces infant morbidity and mortality by initiating early detection, treatment, and management of newborns with congenital disorders. Unfortunately, only about one third of infants around the world receive screening at birth, leading to significantly increased risk of disease during childhood and/or adulthood. The IFCC has made NBS a major focus of its strategic plans and presents this LIVE webinar where three world-renowned speakers will present on the state of newborn screening around the world including:
Prof. Piero Rinaldo (USA),
Prof. Jim Bonham (UK)
Prof. Pranesh Chakraborty (Canada).
The webinar recording is available for those who were unable to attend on the live date. Click here
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Membership
| Name | Position | Country | Term | Time in Office |
| V. Leung-Pineda | Co-Chair | US | 1st | 2021 01 - 2023 12 |
| J. Bonham | Co-Chair/ISNS | UK | 1st | 2021 01 - 2023 12 |
| M.A. Ascurra de Duarte | Member | PY | 1st | 2021 01 - 2023 12 |
| F. Boemer | Member | BE | 1st | 2021 01 - 2023 12 |
| U. Ceglarek | Member | DE | 1st | 2021 01 - 2023 12 |
| A. Habib Khan | Member | PK | 1st | 2021 01 - 2023 12 |
| M. Kase | Member | FI | 1st | 2021 01 - 2023 12 |
| K. Valdyanathan | Member | IN | 1st | 2021 01 - 2023 12 |
| D. Webster | Member/ISNS | AU | 1st | 2021 01 - 2023 12 |
| E. Lebredonchel | Member/Young Scientist | FR | 1st | 2021 01 - 2023 12 |
| To be nominated | Member | |||
| S. Hill | EB Liaison | CA |
Scope & Mandate
● Select countries for IFCC’s NBS Pilot Project via a call for participation to IFCC member societies using pre-defined selection criteria. A formal call for participation by developing countries will be issued soon by the IFCC office.
● Identify potential participating centres (e.g. healthcare facilities and laboratories) and stakeholders (e.g. government ministries and/or agencies) within each Partner Country.
● Engage with these centres in order to conduct situation assessment (i.e. information in regard to NBS-related diseases as well as resources/barriers in the Partner Country).
● Identify ways in which the IFCC can provide lacking resources and support.
● Develop a detailed protocol for an initial Pilot Project specific to each Partner Country. The proposal will be presented to the Partner Country via the respective IFCC member society. The Pilot Project implementation must be conditional on the Partner Country’s commitment to its continuation following IFCC’s initial financial support.
● Implement the Pilot Project in participating centres in each Partner Country in collaboration with the IFCC member society and other stakeholders.
● Monitor and evaluate the progress of the overall IFCC NBS Initiative, as well as the progress of specific Pilot Projects, through data collection and on-site/virtual visits by dispatching scientific teams to each Partner Country.
● Plan for the expansion of the IFCC’s NBS Initiative, as well as the expansion of each NBS Pilot Project.
List of Corresponding Members, nominated by National Societies
| Name | Full and Affiliate Member Societies |
| A. Fonseca | Sociedade Brasileira de Analíses Clínicas (SBAC) |
| D. C. Lehotay | Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists (CSCC) |
| M. W. Gebre | Ethiopian Medical Laboratory Association (EMLA) |
| N. Abesadze | Laboratory Medicine Association of Georgia (GLMA) |
| A. R. Pagdhune | Association of Medical Biochemists of India (AMBI) |
| G. Polo | Italian Society of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology (SIBioC) |
| C. Bee Chin | Malaysian Association of Clinical Biochemists (MACB) |
| B. Kumar Yadav | Nepal Association for Medical Laboratory Science (NAMLS) |
| P. Gyawali | Nepalese Association for Clinical Chemistry (NACC) |
| J. I. Anetor | Association of Clinical Chemists Nigeria (ACCN) |
| B. Repič | Slovenian Association for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (SZKKLM) |
| T. M. Satekge | South African Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine (SAACB) |
| H. Rocha | Sociedad Española de Medicina de Laboratorio (SEQCML) |
| E. Sozmen | Turkish Biochemical Society (TBS) |
| C. Queijo | Asociación Bioquímica Uruguaya (ABU) |
Chairs' contacts
Dr Van LEUNG-PINEDA | Prof James R. BONHAM |