Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 September 2023
1027. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health for an update on the expansion of the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme; when the review is due to conclude and be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40611/23]
View answerI am fully committed to supporting our population screening programmes which are a valuable part of our health service, enabling early treatment and care for many people, and improving the overall health of our population. The expansion of the National Newborn Bloodspot (NBS) Programme is a priority for me, and the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) has been progressing with work to support this.
The NSAC is an independent expert group that considers and assesses evidence in a robust and transparent manner, and against internationally accepted criteria. It is important that we have rigorous processes in place to ensure our screening programmes are effective, quality assured and operating to safe standards, and that the benefits of screening outweigh the harms. As you will appreciate, these are lengthy and complex processes.
The Committee holds an Annual Call which invites all stakeholders, including members of the public, HSE and other medical professionals, to make proposals for the introduction of new population-based screening programmes or changes to existing programmes in Ireland. The Committee plans to launch its third Annual Call later this year, and information will be posted on the Committee's website nsaccommittee.ie with details on the submission process.
I am pleased to note that significant progress has been made on expansion of the newborn bloodsport screening programme over the past 18 months. Since May 2022, babies have been screened for nine conditions following a recommendation from the NSAC to add ADA-SCID to the Programme.
Building on this, in January 2023, I approved a further recommendation from the Committee for the addition of T-cell receptor excision circle (TREC)-based screening for all types of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) to the NBS programme, which will increase the number of conditions screened as part of the screening programme to ten. The Committee made its recommendation to me based on their consideration of a comprehensive Health Technology Assessment (HTA) report from HIQA. HTAs collect and summarise detailed information about new technologies over a range of fields, including clinical effectiveness and safety, cost-effectiveness and budget impact, organisational and social aspects, and ethical and legal issues. The HSE is now undertaking an extensive body of work to prepare for implementation. Provision for this addition will be included in the relevant HSE service planning processes in line with HSE budgeting procedures.
Another HTA on the addition of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is currently underway by HIQA. It will provide evidence-based advice to NSAC and will inform a decision regarding the potential inclusion of SMA in the NBS programme. I am advised that the HTA is at an advanced stage, the NSAC expect HIQA to complete this process shortly and that the HTA will be presented to and considered by the Committee at a meeting before the end of this year.
I look forward to receiving a recommendation from the Committee following their consideration of the HTA once it is available.
