An animation in the context of the 50th anniversary of the heel prick test. Facts & Figures.

VOICE-OVER: A pinprick with big impact. What is that impact? In the past 50 years, more than 9 million newborns have been screened. In total, more than 42 million drops of blood have been drawn and more than 6,000 children with disorders screened for in the test have been detected at an early stage. So a big impact indeed.

How it all started? The neonatal heel prick screening started in the Netherlands on 1 September, 1974. What started with one disorder, the metabolic disorder PKU, has developed over the last 50 years into a programme with 27 disorders, of which 20 are metabolic disorders, two endocrine disorders, forms of hereditary anaemia, one muscle disease, SMA, one immune disorder, SCID, and cystic fibrosis.

A quick note on how the test works. The heel prick test is being taken between 72 and 168 hours after birth. The heel prick detects genetic disorders at an early stage. This allows treatment to start on time, so that damage to the child's physical and mental development can be prevented as much as possible. A major operation with many parties cooperating closely. Approximately 350 municipalities in the Netherlands ensure on a daily basis that the RIVM receives all birth registrations, which amounts to 170,000 babies born annually. Around 99 per cent of all babies get the heel prick. The test is done by screeners of youth health services. They send the blood samples to the screening lab. If the result deviates, the medical advisors from the RIVM and the GP will ensure that the baby will be seen by the paediatrician as soon as possible. One of the seven UMCs will do follow-up research. This way, 225 children with serious conditions are detected early each year. Therefore, they can face a better life. As said: a pinprick with big impact.

On-screen text: Logo of the Government of the Netherlands. National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. For more information, visit www.pns.nl/en/multiple-languages/english/heel-prick.