Annual review guaranteed for the newborn heel prick test

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The Ministry of Health, together with the autonomous communities, must review the heel prick test program at least once a year. The review can add diseases to the list, but it cannot remove screenings already in place unless the scientific evidence changes.
2. The Ministry of Health must update the program's information system and publish an annual technical report on its website. Common protocols will also be set so that screening is uniform in timing, access and test confirmation across all autonomous communities.
3. The Government has twelve months, from when the law takes effect, to update the Framework Document on Population Screening. It must define the procedure, criteria and requirements for evaluation, and how scientific societies, outside experts and patient associations will take part.
4. The Government must improve the training of health professionals in rare diseases and in the diagnostic processes related to the heel prick test.
5. Drug companies must give the Ministry of Health more information to set prices, including any public funding they received. The Ministry will publish accessible information on the funding of each product, and the autonomous communities will send monthly data on drug use and prices.
6. The newborn screening program will be funded through the General State Budgets. The law takes effect the day after its publication in the Official State Gazette.

Who it affects

• Newborns and their families: They will get a heel prick test reviewed every year and more equal across Spain.
• Ministry of Health: It must evaluate the program annually, publish reports and update the information system.
• Autonomous communities: They must apply common screening protocols and send monthly data on drug use.
• Health professionals: They will receive more training in rare diseases and newborn diagnosis.
• Pharmaceutical companies: They must provide more economic information to the Ministry, including public funding received.

Words worth knowing

Cribado neonatal

Tests done on newborn babies to detect serious diseases before symptoms appear.

Prueba del talón

Heel prick test: an analysis of a drop of blood from the baby's heel, the main newborn screening test.

Enfermedades raras

Rare diseases: those affecting fewer than 5 people per 10,000 inhabitants.

Cartera común de servicios

Common portfolio of services: the list of health benefits the National Health System guarantees to everyone.

CISNS

Consejo Interterritorial del Sistema Nacional de Salud: the body where the State and the autonomous communities coordinate health care.

It summarizes the law as published in the BOE. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries