BDRP Annual Conference

When

June 2026

Where

Washington, DC

Summary

At the Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention (BDRP) Annual Meeting, the Food Fortification Initiative (FFI) and collaborators presented research showcasing the impact of mandatory folic acid fortification. One study updating global progress for 2024 revealed that mandatory fortification of wheat flour, maize flour, and rice across 69 countries prevented an estimated 63,600 cases of spina bifida and anencephaly. However, current programs achieve only 24% of potential global prevention, leaving roughly 200,000 preventable cases occurring annually and emphasizing the urgent need to expand fortification policies across Europe, Africa, and Asia. A companion systematic review and meta-analysis provided strong population-level evidence supporting these policies, showing that mandatory fortification significantly reduced total neural tube defect prevalence by 36%—including a 41% reduction in spina bifida and a 43% reduction in anencephaly—while also demonstrating modest protective benefits against overall orofacial clefts. Together, these findings reinforce both the proven success of folic acid fortification and FFI’s commitment to closing the global prevention gap through expanded policy implementation.