Episode Details

Pennsylvania State Rep. Abigail Salisbury joins Brian Carothers to discuss Act 73, the new law restoring Gaucher disease screening for Pennsylvania newborns. Gaucher is an inherited condition that affects the body’s ability to process certain fats, or lipids. Salisbury says a simple heel-prick blood test can identify the disease and help families pursue care earlier. In this conversation, Salisbury explains why a baby born in New Jersey could receive a Gaucher screening while a baby born just across the river in Philadelphia could not. She describes how newborn screening is determined state by state, why Pennsylvania’s review process left families without a clear path to add the test, and the years of advocacy that helped move the bill through Harrisburg. Salisbury also explains what happens next: hospitals will need time to update the programming on their screening equipment before the test is fully added. She shares how families have faced delayed diagnoses, including cases where children were treated for other conditions before doctors identified Gaucher disease, and credits the advocates who kept pressing lawmakers to act. House Bill 1652 became Act 73 of 2026 on Oct. 22, after passing the House 195–7 and the Senate 50–0. Read the bill’s history: https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/HB1652