South Carolina Expands Newborn Screening to 60 Conditions, Adding 2 Rare Disorders
Updated
Updated · WYFF4 Greenville · Jul 3
South Carolina Expands Newborn Screening to 60 Conditions, Adding 2 Rare Disorders
2 articles · Updated · WYFF4 Greenville · Jul 3
Summary
South Carolina’s public health department has added Hunter syndrome and Fabry disease to its newborn screening panel, raising the total number of testable conditions from 58 to 60.
Both disorders can cause severe, lasting damage without early treatment—Hunter syndrome affects the body’s ability to break down certain sugars, while Fabry disease raises risks of stroke, kidney disease and heart attack.
The screening uses a heel-prick blood sample collected after birth and sent to Columbia, where results now flow directly into electronic health records under a new state-backed system meant to speed reporting and cut manual-entry errors.
For families such as Anderson County’s Burgesses, whose 3-year-old son was diagnosed with Hunter syndrome only after years of appointments, the expansion could bring answers and intervention far earlier.
Health officials said a positive screen is not a diagnosis, but it gives clinicians a critical early window to act when treatment can most improve or save lives.
As newborn screening expands, what happens to a child's sensitive genetic data and who is allowed to use it?
Early detection is one step, but how does the state guarantee access to costly, lifelong treatments for these families?
With 60 conditions now screened, who decides which diseases are added next and what are the ethical limits?
South Carolina’s Newborn Screening Now Covers 60 Disorders: Early Detection of Rare Genetic Diseases Like Hunter Syndrome and Fabry Disease
Overview
South Carolina has expanded its Newborn Screening Program as of July 2026, now screening for 60 disorders, including the newly added Hunter syndrome (MPS-II) and Fabry disease. These rare genetic conditions can cause severe, progressive damage to organs and cognitive function if not detected early. The expansion aims to identify affected newborns sooner, allowing for timely intervention and better health outcomes. By including these critical conditions, South Carolina is taking a major step forward in protecting children's health and giving families hope for early diagnosis and treatment of life-altering diseases.