December 2016

A Step Backward: HRSA’s Elimination of the ACHDNC Threatens Progress on Newborn Screening

Author: NCMVF Board of Directors The National CMV Foundation is deeply concerned by HRSA’s recent decision to dissolve the Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children (ACHDNC)—a cornerstone of equitable, evidence-based newborn screening for over 20 years. Without this federal oversight, there's now no national process to evaluate and recommend new conditions—including congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV), the most common infectious cause of birth defects and developmental disabilities in the U.S.

Europe's response to CMV legislative efforts in the US

As the 2017 legislative session kicks off in states across America, CMV advocates and parents look backwards to reflect on our past successes and lessons learned while looking forward to upcoming bills and initiatives designed to improve CMV education and screening. And we aren't alone. As recent states such as Utah, Illinois, and Connecticut have marked successful passage of CMV statutes, other countries have been taking notice of this new and novel approach to CMV advocacy in the states. 

The (fractured) state of CMV prevention

Most every person within the CMV community knows about CMV prevention—the recommended behaviors, hygienic precautions, etc. But what about the history of CMV prevention as a concept or policy?