Dear [Recipient],
The California Department of Public Health is launching a new program that will expand access to cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing for pregnant women. While this sounds like a positive move, this program will actually negatively impact the same people it is intended to help.
If allowed to go into effect, the modified PNS program will limit the conditions screened for to only trisomies 21 (Down syndrome), 18 (Edwards syndrome), and 13 (Patau syndrome).
The planned changes to the CDPH program will not only place unnecessary administrative burdens on health care providers -- who will have to jump through many administrative hoops to provide any additional testing for their patients-- but also lower the standard of care for patients. On top of that, this program will create a more inequitable health care system in California, allowing only patients with the financial means to pay for and ultimately access a higher standard of care.
CDPH must halt its planned changes to the program unless it wants to further exacerbate inequities in health care access to California mothers. We must create a program that puts equity first and protects all expectant mothers and their children!
Sincerely,
[your name]