Recent advances in screening for inborn errors of metabolism.

A screening test is any diagnostic procedure which we apply without a 
specific clinical indication from the point of view of the individual 
patient concerned. Non-selective (whole population) screening for inborn errors of metabolism, 
selective screening for inborn errors of metabolism, screening for nonamino organic 
acidurias, and selective screening for inborn errors of metabolism because of 
genetic indications are discussed. The main points which emerge for the 
future from this review are the need to develop multidisease screening 
programmes to detect the very rare diseases; that postnatal, prenatal and 
carrier screening should be considered and developed collectively; and there us 
an urgent needs to develop screening for thallasaemia, sickle cell disease, 
cystic fibrosis and congenital hypothyroidism. 