The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(1) "Amino acid disorders" means argininosuccinic acidemia (ASA), citrullinemia type I (CIT), homocystinuria (HCY), maple syrup urine disease (MSUD), phenylketonuria (PKU), and tyrosinemia type I (TYR I), which may cause severe complications including intellectual disability, coma, seizures, and possibly death.

(2) "Board" means the Washington state board of health.

(3) "Biotinidase deficiency" means a deficiency of an enzyme (biotinidase) that facilitates the body's recycling of biotin. The result is biotin deficiency, which if undetected and untreated, may result in severe neurological damage or death.

(4) "Congenital adrenal hyperplasia" means a severe disorder of adrenal steroid metabolism which may result in death of an infant during the neonatal period if undetected and untreated.

(5) "Congenital hypothyroidism" means a disorder of thyroid function during the neonatal period causing impaired mental functioning if undetected and untreated.

(6) "Critical congenital heart disease" means an abnormality in the structure or function of the heart that exists at birth, causes severe, life-threatening symptoms, and requires medical intervention within the first year of life.

(7) "Cystic fibrosis" means a life-shortening disorder caused by mutations in the gene encoding the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), a transmembrane protein involved in ion transport. Affected individuals suffer from chronic, progressive pulmonary disease and nutritional deficits. Early detection and enrollment in a comprehensive care system provides improved outcomes and avoids the significant nutritional and growth deficits that are evident when diagnosed later.

(8) "Department" means the Washington state department of health.

(9) "Fatty acid oxidation disorders" means carnitine uptake defect (CUD), long-chain L-3-OH acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (LCHADD), medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MCADD), trifunctional protein deficiency (TFP), and very long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (VLCADD). These disorders can lead to hypoglycemia and metabolic crises resulting in serious damage affecting the brain, liver, heart, eyes, muscle, and possibly death.

(10) "Galactosemia" means a deficiency of enzymes that help the body convert the simple sugar galactose into glucose resulting in a buildup of galactose and galactose-1-PO4 in the blood. If undetected and untreated, accumulated galactose-1-PO4 may cause significant tissue and organ damage often leading to sepsis and death.

(11) "Hemoglobinopathies" means a group of hereditary blood disorders caused by genetic alteration of hemoglobin which results in characteristic clinical and laboratory abnormalities and which leads to developmental impairment or physical disabilities.

(12) "Newborn" means an infant born in any setting in the state of Washington.

(13) "Newborn screening specimen/information form" means a form provided by the department for collecting a newborn's dried blood spots and information used to screen for congenital disorders under this chapter. This includes the filter paper portion and associated dried blood spots.

(14) "Mucopolysaccharidosis I (MPS-I)" means a multisystem disorder caused by mutations in the alpha-L-iduronidase gene in which a lysosomal enzyme is deficient, leading to accumulation of mucopolysaccharides (a type of carbohydrate) and other metabolites. This includes Hurler, Hurler-Scheie, and Scheie syndromes.

(15) "Organic acid disorders" means 3-OH 3-CH3 glutaric aciduria (HMG), beta-ketothiolase deficiency (BKT), glutaric acidemia type I (GA 1), isovaleric acidemia (IVA), methylmalonic acidemia (CblA,B), methylmalonic acidemia (mutase deficiency) (MUT), multiple carboxylase deficiency (MCD), and propionic acidemia (PROP). These disorders can lead to metabolic crises resulting in severe nerve damage, physical damage, and possibly death.

(16) "Pompe disease" means a neuromuscular disorder caused by mutations in the acid glucosidase gene which result in reduced or absent activity of the acid alpha glucosidase enzyme.

(17) "Significant screening test result" means a laboratory test result indicating a suspicion of abnormality and requiring diagnostic evaluation of the involved infant for a specific congenital disorder.

(18) "Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID)" means a group of congenital disorders characterized by profound deficiencies in T- and B- lymphocyte function. This results in very low or absent production of the body's primary infection fighting processes that, if left untreated, results in severe recurrent, and often life-threatening infections within the first year of life.

(19) "Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)" means a genetic disorder caused by mutations in the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene, which impairs the function of the survival motor neuron (SMN) protein. This results in the loss of motor neurons and causes progressive atrophy of skeletal muscles.

(20) "X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD)" means a peroxisomal disorder caused by mutations in the ABCD1 gene located on the X chromosome. If untreated this can lead to adrenocortical deficiency, damage to the nerve cells of the brain, paralysis of the lower limbs, mental decline, disability, or death.

(1) Hospitals and other providers of birth and delivery services or neonatal care to infants shall:

(a) Inform parents or guardians, by providing a departmental information pamphlet or by other means, of:

(i) The purpose of screening newborns for congenital disorders;

(ii) Disorders of concern as listed in WAC 246-650-020(2);

(iii) The requirement for newborn screening;

(iv) The legal right of parents or guardians to refuse testing because of religious tenets or practices as specified in RCW 70.83.020; and

(v) The specimen storage, retention and access requirements specified in WAC 246-650-050.

(b) Obtain a blood specimen for laboratory testing as specified by the department from each newborn no later than forty-eight hours following birth.

(d) Enter all identifying and related information required on the newborn screening specimen/information form following directions of the department.

(e) In the event a parent or guardian refuses to allow newborn screening, obtain signatures from parents or guardians on the newborn screening specimen/information form.

(f) Forward the newborn screening specimen/information form with dried blood spots or signed refusal to the Washington state public health laboratory so that it will be received no later than seventy-two hours following collection of the specimen, excluding any day that the state laboratory is closed.

(2) Upon receipt of specimens, the department shall:

(a) Record the time and date of receipt;

(b) Perform appropriate screening tests for:

(i) Amino acid disorders;

(ii) Biotinidase deficiency;

(iii) Congenital hypothyroidism;

(iv) Congenital adrenal hyperplasia;

(v) Cystic fibrosis;

(vi) Fatty acid oxidation disorders;

(vii) Galactosemia;

(viii) Hemoglobinopathies;

(ix) Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS-I);

(x) Organic acid disorders;

(xi) Pompe disease;

(xii) Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID);

(xiii) Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA);

(xiv) X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD).

(c) Report significant screening test results to the infant's attending health care provider or parent or guardian if an attending health care provider cannot be identified; and

(d) Offer diagnostic and treatment resources to health care providers attending infants with significant screening test results within limits determined by the department.

(3) Once the department notifies the attending health care provider of significant screening test results, the attending health care provider shall notify the department of the date upon which the results were disclosed to the parent or guardian of the infant. This requirement expires January 1, 2020.