Subject of Possible Rule Making: Chapter 246-650 WAC, Newborn screening. The Washington state board of health (board) is considering adding Guanidinoacetate methyltransferase deficiency (GAMT) and Arginase 1 deficiency (ARG1-D) to the list of mandatory conditions for newborn screening conducted by the department of health (department).

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The board has the authority under RCW 70.83.050 to define and adopt rules for screening Washington-born infants for hereditary conditions. WAC 246-650-010 defines the conditions, and WAC 246-650-020 lists the conditions for which all Washington-born newborns are to be screened. GAMT deficiency and ARG1-D are rare inherited metabolic conditions that can result in severe disability and in some cases death if not detected and treated early. Early diagnosis of GAMT deficiency and ARG1-D through newborn screening is essential to save lives and to improve the quality of life for impacted infants and their families.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Molly Dinardo, P.O. Box 47990, Olympia, WA 98504-7790, phone 564-669-3455, fax 360-236-4088, TTY 711, email molly.dinardo@sboh.wa.gov.

Additional comments: To be added to the listserv for notifications regarding this rule making, email Molly.Dinardo@sboh.wa.gov with the subject line "Newborn Screening – GAMT & ARG1-D."