Newborn screening on the cusp of genetic screening: From solidarity in public health to personal counselling

Abstract

The chapter opens with a history of newborn screening, highlighting the factors behind its worldwide dissemination and emergent controversies. The second part of the chapter explicates newborn screening as a hybrid of public health and clinical care. The third part of the chapter delineates a framework for democratic governance of newborn screening, which is based on the value of solidarity and which is attuned to possible advent of screening tests at the genetic level. This governance aims at deep participation of the public, and the empowerment of autonomous choices of individual patients.