Changing how we care for newborns: The future of doing genetic tests when babies are born.

GeneDx, a company that studies genes, wants to make genetic testing common for newborn babies. They believe this testing can help identify potential health problems early on.

GeneDx uses a special method called whole genome sequencing, which looks at all the genes in a person's body. This is different from other tests that only look at a few genes.

Katherine Stueland, the CEO of GeneDx, believes that testing babies at birth can help doctors start treatments sooner. However, one challenge is convincing insurance companies to pay for these tests, which can be expensive.

GeneDx is currently studying the benefits of newborn genetic testing and has found that many parents are interested. They are focusing on conditions where early diagnosis and treatment can make a big difference.

The company emphasizes that they only provide information about conditions that can be acted upon. For example, they might identify a type of epilepsy that can be treated before a child has a seizure.