Governor Stein Proclaims Newborn Screening Awareness Month

Newborn Screening Awareness Month

2025

By The Governor Of The State Of North Carolina

A Proclamation

Whereas, newborn screening is one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century, and the practice continues to make advancements in screening technology, follow-up care, and treatments; and
 
            Whereas, newborn screening allows for early identification of babies with conditions that can affect long-term health so that treatment can begin to improve quality of life and prevent disabilities, developmental delays, serious illnesses, and even deaths that result from failure to provide timely treatment; and

Whereas, Early Check is a voluntary research study that provides free health tests to new babies, with the goal of finding serious health conditions in babies so they can get help sooner; and Early Check began in 2018 with the screening of newborns for a small panel of rare genetic conditions; and

Whereas, from October 2018 to July 2023, more than 27,000 babies were enrolled in Early Check, and of those babies, 49 were identified as at risk for spinal muscular atrophy, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, fragile X syndrome, or fragile X premutation; in 2023, Early Check expanded to offer genomic newborn screening for more than 200 conditions; and

Whereas, this public health service is continually expanded in North Carolina through the implementation of newborn screening for additional conditions; and

Whereas, keeping babies healthy and promoting awareness of newborn screening are important responsibilities for North Carolina’s Newborn Screening System; and

Whereas, education and increased awareness help families understand the importance of newborn screening and how they can help to ensure their children grow up healthy; and

Whereas, the state of North Carolina commends the newborn screening system for the significant contributions to the health and wellness of babies born in our state;

Now, Therefore, I, Josh Stein, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim September 2025 as “Newborn Screening Awareness Month” in North Carolina and commend its observance to all citizens.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina at the Capitol in Raleigh this twenty-first day of August in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty-fifth and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.