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Texas DSHS Hosts Newborn Screening Grand Rounds: Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

Texas DSHS Newborn Screening Grand Rounds 
Gene Therapy: A Landmark in Spinal Muscular Atrophy Treatment

Newborn Screening Grand Rounds is a lecture series at TX DSHS. There is no cost to participate and continuing education credit is available for some professions. Participate in Grand Rounds by webinar or in-person in Austin.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019, from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm Central Time.

 Julie Parsons, M.D. will present an overview of the etiology and clinical presentation of Spinal Muscular Atrophy, therapeutic options including gene therapy, and the potential implications of gene therapy for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).

SMA is a genetic disease that causes damage to the spinal cord and blocks messages from the brain to muscles. Though affected children are often born appearing healthy, the disease can cause rapid deterioration. SMA is the most common genetic cause of infant death in the U.S. SMA affects 1 in 10,000 babies. SMA has been recently added to the National Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP) for newborn screening programs. Texas has not implemented screening for SMA at this time but is considering implementation in the future.

Attendees will learn about the presentation and features of SMA. The discussion will include the rationale for early treatment and the interventions that are available.

In Person: K-100 auditorium at the Main Campus of the Texas Department of State Health Services, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin, Texas 78756.

Webinar: All persons attending the webinar must register online. If multiple persons are viewing at one site, everyone must still individually register AND everyone viewing at that one site must complete the sign-in sheet the day of event. At end of the webinar, please scan and email the completed sign-in sheet and send to nbs.education@dshs.texas.gov.

Questions? Please make accommodations requests, including communication access, a minimum of 5 business days prior to the event by emailing nbs.education@dshs.texas.gov or calling 512-776-2682. Requests received with less notice cannot be guaranteed.