Genomics from the very start?

Can a single drop of blood change a baby’s life?

Insights into the past, present and future of newborn screening

The idea behind newborn screening is clear: to detect and treat rare, serious conditions early on, before they cause lasting damage. Since the introduction of newborn screening, the course of life has changed significantly for more than 14,000 children in Germany. Starting treatment early can significantly mitigate or even prevent severe or fatal disease progression. This makes newborn screening one of the most successful preventive measures in modern medicine!

However, it is undergoing change:

New technologies and treatments offer the opportunity to detect and treat even more conditions at an early stage in the future. Yet these new possibilities also bring greater challenges: How should a potential future genomic newborn screening programme be designed? What sensible criteria can help us decide which conditions our babies should be tested for? How do we balance the medical benefits against psychological strain and financial costs? And how can we successfully integrate new screening programmes into existing healthcare systems?

This event will take a joint look at the development of newborn screening, explain how it works, and demonstrate how early diagnoses can change lives.

Together with experts from the fields of medicine, research and patient advocacy, we will combine scientific perspectives with the experiences of affected families and discuss the early detection of rare diseases.

Moderators and speakers: Dr Anna-Maria Möller and Dr Christine Mundlos

Panel discussion participants: Karla Alex, Tobias Hagedorn, Dr Arpad von Moers

• Date: 3 November 2026
• Time: 6.00 pm – 8.00 pm
• Venue: DRK Westend, Berlin – Building S (Auditorium)

(Language: German)