California: Project Baby Bear

The Evidence Is In: Project Baby Bear

It’s very rare to be able to use the most advanced, innovative medical technology to improve a child’s life and save money, yet Project Baby Bear did both.

Led by Rady Children’s and funded by the State of California, Project Baby Bear provided rapid Whole Genome Sequencing for infants hospitalized in intensive care while yielding life-changing benefits and saving $2.5 million in medical costs.

Under the 18-month program, the genetic code of 178 critically ill babies at five hospitals across the state was sequenced to diagnose and guide personalized care resulting in shorter hospital stays, fewer unnecessary procedures with better outcomes for the children and their families.

Pilot Sites # of Babies Babies Diagnosed Babies Whose Care Was Changed* Days to Results**
Children's Hospital Orange County 23 12 (52%) 9 (39%) 2.5
Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego 59 22 (37%) 19 (32%) 3
UC Davis Children's Hospital (Sacramento) 34 12 (36%) 8 )24%) 2
UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland 24 12 (50%) 8 (24%) 2
Valley Children's Hospital 38 18 (47%) 10 (26%) 3
TOTAL PROJECT BABY BEAR CASES 178 76 (43%) 55 (31%) 3

*Results confirmed 21 babies were already receiving appropriate care. 
**Median # days to delivery of provisional positive results

Project Baby Bear In the News

EXPRESS HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT: A recent study conducted by the EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases has shed light on the potential savings that can be achieved through early diagnosis of rare diseases. The study builds upon existing evidence from Project Baby Bear that supports the benefits of early screening and genetic sequencing for rare diseases. 

News from Participating Hospitals

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