American Academy of Pediatrics Pushes for Uniformity in Infant Testing Standards
Concerned by inconsistencies in state infant testing, the American Academy of Pediatrics is calling for the federal government to adopt uniform testing standards for infants. Currently tests are available for about 30 inherited diseases, but few states require newborn screening for all of them. All states do have mandatory newborn screening for phenylketonuria and hypothyroidism. In addition, most test for galactosemia and 41 test for sickle cell disease. The March of Dimes believes that in addition to these four tests, it should be mandatory to screen for congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Testing for a single disease costs $1 or less and involves taking a drop of blood from a newborn's heel. Through a technology called tandem mass spectrometry, the same blood drop can be tested for more than 20 diseases for about $25. For more information visit www.aap.org.
Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25
June 30th 2025Environmental hygiene is about more than just shiny surfaces. At Exchange25, infection prevention experts urged the field to look deeper, rethink blame, and validate cleaning efforts across the entire care environment, not just EVS tasks.
A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides
June 26th 2025As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.
Getting Down and Dirty With PPE: Presentations at HSPA by Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski
June 26th 2025In the heart of the hospital, decontamination technicians tackle one of health care’s dirtiest—and most vital—jobs. At HSPA 2025, 6 packed workshops led by experts Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski spotlighted the crucial, often-overlooked art of PPE removal. The message was clear: proper doffing saves lives, starting with your own.
