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NBS Advisory Committee
In March of 1999, a select review team sponsored by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the Maternal and Child Health Bureau’s Genetic Services Branch, reviewed the NBS Program at the invitation of the Georgia Department of Public Health. This review team recommended that Georgia develop an advisory council with oversight and advisory responsibility for the entire program.
Purpose/Role
The purpose of the Georgia Newborn Screening and Genetics Advisory Committee (NBSAC) is to advise the Georgia Department of Public Health on a statewide system for newborn screening and genetics.
Advisory Committee Members as of January 2024
| James Eckman | Emory University School of Medicine |
| Kristen Vanags (Co-Chair) | Georgia PKU Connect |
| George Bugg | Emory Healthcare and Grady Memorial Hospital |
| Peter Lane | Emory University and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta |
| Hong Li (Co-Chair) | Emory University School of Medicine |
| Stephanie Moss | Parent to Parent of Georgia |
| Rani Singh | Emory University School of Medicine |
| Amber Smith | Babies Can't Wait |
| Ansley Thompson | Parent of child with MCADD |
| Jamika Hallman-Cooper | Emory University |
| Morgan McLemore | Emory University and Grady Memorial Hospital |
| Paula Harmon | Children's Healthcare of Atlanta |
| Vishwas Sakhalkar | Navicent Children's Hospital |
| Rachel Linnemann | Emory Children's Center |
| William Wilcox | Emory University |
| Stephanie Wechsler | Emory University |
| Tabatha McGee | Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia |
| Lynne Hall | Georgia Hospital Association |
| Doris Fadoju | Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta |
| Gerald Lee | Emory University |
| Zenobia Day | LTZ Health Solutions; Kaiser |
Meeting Schedule
Public meetings are held bi-annually on the fourth Friday in April and October. The next Newborn Screening and Genetics Advisory Committee (NBSAC) meeting will be held virtually on Friday, April 25, 2025 from 1:00-3:30pm.
If you would like to register to attend the upcoming NBSAC meeting, please visit: https://gapublichealth.webex.com/weblink/register/rfc9eff02df6a2b3a5daed3f9adafa468
Public Comment
If you would like to make a public comment to the NBSAC, send written comments, clearly marked “PUBLIC COMMENT” to [email protected] no later than the Wednesday before the meeting. Your comments will be read aloud during the Public Comment portion of the meeting if time permits.
Nominating a New Condition
Nominations to add new conditions to the Georgia NBS panel must be completed and submitted to the Georgia NBSAC for consideration. Anyone can nominate a condition for review, however, the Committee encourages individuals and organizations to form multi-disciplinary teams to submit nominations for conditions to be considered for inclusion. Teams should include researchers and/or clinicians with expertise on the condition being nominated, advocacy and/or professional organizations with knowledge of issues relevant to newborn screening, and interested consumers/individuals.
To nominate a condition, submit a nomination package that includes:
- A cover letter by the lead nominator and their organizational affiliation(s)
- Contact information for the nominator
- Signed Conflict of Interest Disclosure Forms from all team members
- Complete responses to the
ACHDNC Newborn
Screening Panel Nomination Form
- Letters of support if applicable
- Scan and email a completed copy of the nomination package to [email protected]
Nomination forms must be submitted at least six (6) weeks prior to the NBSAC meeting during which the nominator will present their nomination.
The Georgia NBSAC will consider the completed nomination package and presentation to determine whether to establish a work-group to review the condition for addition to the Georgia NBS panel.
Newborn Screening Program
Page last updated 11/4/2024