PerkinElmer to Expand Neonatal Screening Program in Israel
Date Posted: Tuesday, June 13, 2006
PerkinElmer, Inc. has announced that its neonatal screening technology has been selected by State of Israel's Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Aviv, to create a comprehensive newborn screening program that is intended to cover every child born in Israel.
Under the terms of this agreement, PerkinElmer will provide the State of Israel with instrumentation, reagents, scientific expertise, and an informatics system that will enhance the nation's neonatal screening and data management capabilities.
The contract, to be executed through PerkinElmer's regional distributors HVD Vertriebs Gmbh and Gamidor Limited, will fulfill a recent mandate by the Medical Research Infrastructure Development and Health Services Fund to substantially expand its newborn screening program to cover Israel's entire population and increase the number of tests that will be screened for indications of disease.
"We are honored that the State of Israel has selected PerkinElmer to expand its newborn screening program," said Robert F. Friel, president, PerkinElmer Life and Analytical Sciences.
"We look forward to working with the Chaim Sheba Medical Center to improve the standard of healthcare to newborns," Friel added.
As part of this agreement, Chaim Sheba will use Specimen Gate®, PerkinElmer's screening laboratory information management system.
This software will allow Chaim Sheba to implement a comprehensive solution that will electronically track laboratory workflow from sample receipt and preparation, through the analytical steps, to quality control review, reporting and follow-up.
Israel's enhanced neonatal screening initiative will be built around PerkinElmer's AutoDELFIA® automatic immunoassay system.
To augment Israel's screening capacity in order to accommodate additional tests, PerkinElmer will deliver multiple AutoDELFIA units as well as reagents and equipment.
The three tests that will be sourced from PerkinElmer for Israel's expanded neonatal screening program are: 17(alpha)OH progesterone for screening congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), a hormonal disorder affecting the adrenal glands; and hTSH and T4, both for screening congenital hypothyroidism (CH), which if left untreated can lead to severe mental retardation.
Further Information: http://www.perkinelmer.com