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Ohio is the first in the US to screen newborns for DMD. Here’s what you need to know

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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has announced that the state will be the first in the nation to screen all newborns for a disease called Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD).

“Adding DMD to the list of screenings newborns receive ensures parents can begin early to initiate care for children diagnosed with this condition,” DeWine said in a news release on the state government website.

DMD was added to the list of 40 other rare medical conditions in the Ohio Department of Health’s Newborn Screening Program in HB 33, the state budget for fiscal years 2024-2025. DeWine signed the bill into law in 2023. Based on estimates, the Ohio Department of Health expects screening to identify 35 babies with DMD in Ohio each year.

What is Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)?

DMD is an inherited progressive neuromuscular disease and one of the most serious forms of hereditary muscular dystrophy, according to the Ohio Department of Health. An estimated 20,000 cases are diagnosed worldwide each year.

What are some symptoms of DMD?

According to Cleveland Clinic, most symptoms of DMD appear between the ages of 2 and 3. This progressive condition causes muscle weakness and degeneration, can affect walking around age 10, and can lead to death in individuals in their teens and twenties.

Can DMD be cured?

Currently, there is no cure for DMD. But thanks to advances in treatment, many patients live into their 30s and beyond, according to WebMD.

By screening for DMD shortly after birth with the Newborn Screening Program, parents can plan treatment options to help their child.

Dr. Jerry Mendell, a pediatric neurologist and principal investigator at the Center for Gene Therapy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, helped develop a gene therapy that shows promise in treating DMD, the Dispatch previously reported.

Gene therapy is a medical approach that treats or prevents disease by correcting the underlying genetic problem, according to the National Library of Medicine.

This type of therapy can be done in two ways:

  • Introduce a new gene into cells to help fight a disease
  • Introduce a non-defective copy of a gene to replace the altered copy that causes disease

Gene therapy can slow the progression of symptoms and improve quality of life.

The newborn screening program for all newborns is required by Ohio law. According to information from the Office of the Governor, the screenings will help improve the health outcomes of nearly 300 babies per year.

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