§ Mr. ViggersTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the average cost of screening new-born babies for cystic fibrosis is; and what estimate he has made of the medical costs incurred by late diagnosis of cystic fibrosis; [152022]
(2) what his policy is on the screening of new-born babies for cystic fibrosis. [152021]
§ Mr. DenhamAt present, it is not national policy to screen new-born babies for cystic fibrosis. This decision was based on a review of the available evidence of benefit by the United Kingdom national screening committee and374W supported by the findings of national experts. This decision is being actively reviewed in the light of new evidence of effectiveness, published in 2001.
The authors of the Health Technology Assessment Report on Screening for Cystic Fibrosis estimated the cost to range from £4,400 per case detected to £6,400 per case (excluding those who would have been detected early without screening). There has been no recent assessment of the additional medical costs of late diagnosis.