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Primary Care Alberta Clinical Updates - September 11, 2026
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Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder awareness monthSeptember is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder awareness month. FASD is a lifelong disability that affects the brain and body of people who were exposed to alcohol in the womb.
FASD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disabilities. In Alberta, the prevalence of FASD is estimated to be between 1-4% of the general population.
For more on FASD, see:
Substance Use in Pregnancy - Healthy Parents Healthy Children (for information on prevention of FASD and other health promotion information from Primary Care Alberta)
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) | Alberta.ca (for programs and services offered in Alberta, as well as training and education resources)
Canada FASD Research Network (for diagnostic guidelines, the latest in research and online courses).
New pathways on autism and tobacco/nicotine dependence
New patient pathway on iron deficiency anemia
Be an immunization advocate Healthcare authorities across the country are noting a rise in vaccine hesitancy, which is impacting immunization rates and overall community immunity in Alberta and across Canada.Primary Care Alberta has several resources that are designed to help healthcare providers and their patients understand the importance and safety of vaccines.Parents or caregivers who have questions or uncertainties about vaccines should seek out trusted resources for information. Resources include:www.primarycarealberta.ca/immunizeYour Child’s Health Checkups & Immunizations - Healthy Parents Healthy ChildrenVaccines: Myths and facts | Caring for kidsWe encourage you to be an advocate for immunization and take the time to highlight the role that immunization plays in keeping Albertans safe, from infancy to the elderly and everyone in between.
September is Newborn Screening Awareness month Two Primary Care Alberta newborn screening programs help babies have the best start in life: the Alberta Newborn Screening Program (ANSP) and the Early Hearing Detection & Intervention (EHDI) Program.
Newborn screening is an essential service that offers screening to all babies born or living in Alberta for serious but treatable conditions. Finding these conditions early means babies get the support they need when it can help the most.
Screening is free and offered shortly after a baby is born.
How you can help:
As a physician, midwife or other primary care provider, discussing newborn screening with parents during prenatal visits allows expectant parents to understand the purpose and benefits, and to ask questions and clarify misconceptions. This allows parents to make informed decisions about getting screening done without the time pressure or stress of deciding soon after the birth of their baby.
Last year about one in 320 babies born in Alberta were identified with conditions found through screening. Thank you for helping find these conditions early, making sure treatment could begin in time to prevent irreversible health problems, improve health and development, and save lives.
To learn more about Alberta’s newborn screening programs, visit primarycarealberta.ca/newbornscreening
Lab bulletins: Effective Feb. 19, if ammonia is ordered at an acute care site that does not perform testing onsite, samples will be frozen and sent on scheduled couriers. This is a change from being automatically sent by stat transportation, and applies to Edmonton area suburban hospitals. A list of impacted sites is available in the lab bulletin. If results for ammonia are required stat at the impacted sites, please contact the laboratory to request stat transportation.
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Effective Feb. 19, if ammonia is ordered at an acute care site that does not perform testing onsite, samples will be frozen and sent on scheduled couriers. This is a change from being automatically sent by stat transportation, and applies to Edmonton area suburban hospitals. A list of impacted sites is available in the lab bulletin. If results for ammonia are required stat at the impacted sites, please contact the laboratory to request stat transportation.
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Effective Feb. 19, if ammonia is ordered at an acute care site that does not perform testing onsite, samples will be frozen and sent on scheduled couriers. This is a change from being automatically sent by stat transportation, and applies to Edmonton area suburban hospitals. A list of impacted sites is available in the lab bulletin. If results for ammonia are required stat at the impacted sites, please contact the laboratory to request stat transportation.
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Effective Feb. 19, if ammonia is ordered at an acute care site that does not perform testing onsite, samples will be frozen and sent on scheduled couriers. This is a change from being automatically sent by stat transportation, and applies to Edmonton area suburban hospitals. A list of impacted sites is available in the lab bulletin. If results for ammonia are required stat at the impacted sites, please contact the laboratory to request stat transportation.
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The opinions expressed in AMA publications are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of the Alberta Medical Association, its Board of Directors or members.
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