Georgia PKU Connect

Description

PKU is a rare, inherited metabolic disorder. If left untreated, PKU causes devastating neurocognitive and psychiatric problems, including severe intellectual disability when treatment is not started within the first few weeks of life. Newborn screening for PKU began in 1963, and became a mandatory national public health program in 2007. Unfortunately, a majority of teens and adults struggle to maintain treatment due to the complexity and expense of maintaining a strict medical food diet. To prevent disability, the treatment must be continued for life.