Tampa General Hospital tapped to launch Florida’s first newborn genome sequencing program

Florida is set to become a national example of newborn care this Summer with the launch of the Sunshine Genetics Newborn Screening Program, a first-of-its-kind effort offering whole genome sequencing for newborns to detect serious disease before symptoms appear.

The program was established by HB 907, the Sunshine Genetics Act, filed in 2025 by Rep. Adam Anderson.

Anderson was inspired to pursue the legislation after his family’s personal battle with a fatal disease. His son Andrew — known as Drew — was born healthy in 2015 but was later diagnosed with Tay-Sachs disease after more than a year of misdiagnoses. Drew died at just 4 years old.

A diagnostic odyssey behind the bill

The Sunshine Genetics Newborn Screening Program expands Florida’s newborn screening from 60 conditions to nearly 900, identifying rare genetic diseases before symptoms develop. Anderson first announced the legislation before a crowd of more than 150 lawmakers, medical students and patient advocates during Tampa General Hospital’s annual advocacy day, TGH Day at the Capitol.

“My hope is that families will get the answers that they need, and that babies born today won’t have to live that same nightmare of that diagnostic odyssey that I did and that so many families around the country do every day,” Anderson said, as FOX 13’s Kellie Cowan reported.

A free, voluntary program launching at TGH

The program, developed in partnership with genomic medicine company GeneDx, is voluntary and free to participating families. Tampa General will serve as the flagship launch site this Summer, with expansions planned to Orlando and Miami later this year before a statewide rollout over five years.

“It will greatly expand our ability to diagnose these rare conditions,” said Dr. Patricia Emmanuel, chief of pediatrics at Muma Children’s Hospital at TGH, in an interview with FOX 13.

“My hope is that we are able to have a partnership with families to really understand some of the complexities of genetic diseases and to really advance cures. That is our ultimate goal in pediatrics. We want happy, healthy, growing kids.”

Supporters see lives saved and costs cut

Supporters say early diagnosis could save the state hundreds of millions of dollars by reducing the lengthy and costly diagnostic process many rare disease families face, while opening the door to gene therapies and precision treatments before symptoms appear.

The Sunshine Genetics launch is one of many examples of cutting-edge care offered at Tampa General Hospital, one of the nation’s leading academic health systems, where access to top providers, researchers and innovators continues to attract both legislative investment and public trust.

The Legislature’s decision to anchor the program’s statewide launch at TGH reflects the confidence lawmakers have placed in the institution to advance innovative approaches to care in Florida.

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Ed. note: This story was drafted with assistance from AI. Editorial judgment, sourcing, and final review were performed by Peter Schorsch and the Florida Politics editorial team.