Neonatal screening for severe immunodeficiencies other than SCID

The Health Council of the Netherlands advises against broadening the newborn blood spot screening for SCID (severe combined immunodeficiency) to include other immunodeficiencies for the time being.

SCID is a collective term for a group of rare inherited disorders that cause the immune system not to work properly. Children with SCID appear healthy at birth, but develop severe infections during the first months of life. They also have growth problems. Without treatment, children with SCID die in the first years of life.

The blood spot screening for SCID also detects other severe immunodeficiencies. These are not the target of the blood spot screening but are secondary findings. The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport asked the Health Council whether the screening for SCID should be broadened to include other severe immunodeficiencies. According to the council, there are insufficient scientific evidence to support broadening the screening. More research and defining the group of severe immunodeficiencies more specifically could make broadening the screening possible in the future.