Unanimous Senate Passage SB292 Cytomegalovirus Screening Legislation

What is Cytomegalovirus (cCMV)?

cCMV is the leading cause of infectious birth defects worldwide and the most common cause of non-genetic congenital hearing loss.

• cCMV affects 1 out of every 200 babies born in the United States. 
• It’s more common than Down Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Spina Bifida.
• More than 90% of babies born with cCMV appear normal at birth.
• Only 9% of pregnant women have heard of cCMV.
• Only 40% of OB/GYNs counsel their patients on cCMV.

What legislation was passed?

Identifying newborns with cCMV allows medical health professionals to follow the hearing patterns of our youngest patients and facilitate treatments to improve their hearing loss. Recently, Florida Senate Bill 292 passed the Senate Appropriations Committee with a unanimous vote in favor of requiring cCMV screening for all infants in Florida who fail the newborn hearing screening.

10 additional states require cCMV screening

Samuel Ostrower, MD, chief of Pediatric Otolaryngologist & Head and Neck Surgery Program at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital said, "I strongly support SB292 – Florida has now joined a select group of 10 other states who require cCMV screening and/or education to newborns and expecting families”.