Health - Newborn Screening Program - Gaucher Disease

SB 495 requires Maryland's Department of Health to add Gaucher disease screening to the state's mandatory newborn screening program. This affects all newborns in Maryland, as the bill mandates screening for Gaucher disease alongside other hereditary disorders under existing law. The key mechanism is amending Section 13-111 of Maryland's health code to explicitly include Gaucher disease in the list of conditions screened for, effective October 1, 2026. The bill does not alter funding or reporting procedures but directly expands the scope of the current newborn screening system to cover this specific genetic condition.