[Neonatal screening for congenital metabolic disorders in Bavaria--assessment of current status and planned reorganization].

Newborn screening for inborn errors of metabolism is one of the most important achievements of preventive medicine to avoid disabilities and childrens death. In Bavaria, like in the rest of germany, the guthrie test for phenylketonuria was established in the late sixties. In the early eighties the introduction of screening for galactosemia and hypothyreodism followed. Considering actual problems (mixed finances, poor quality assurance) and recent methodological advances (tandem mass spectrometry) the current system needs reforming. At present, efforts are made to realize a concept for the reorganization of newborn screening in Bavaria. A new center with distributed functions for the public health services (quality assurance), the university of Munich (science) and a private laboratory (analysis) is planned.