NHS TO TEST ALL NEWBORNS IN ENGLAND FOR SPINAL MUSCULAR ATROPHY FROM OCTOBER

Every newborn in England will be screened for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) from October, according to reports. The condition causes progressive nerve damage that can leave patients unable to walk, breathe independently or feed without assistance. A screening test costs approximately £5 and can identify the disease early enough for treatment to halt its progression. The rollout follows a years-long campaign by a national newspaper and Jesy Nelson, whose twins were diagnosed with SMA after the critical early treatment window had closed.

Nelson launched a petition in support of the screening programme, which secured 150,000 signatures and prompted parliamentary attention to the issue. Health officials had previously resisted adding SMA screening to the existing NHS heel-prick test administered to newborns. Under the original plan, approximately 163,000 babies would have remained untested as part of a control group; this provision has been withdrawn. Wes Streeting, identified in one source as holding a current role overseeing the decision, advanced the timeline for the rollout.

The screening programme represents a shift in NHS newborn testing policy after the newspaper began its campaign in 2021. Early diagnosis and treatment of SMA can prevent irreversible damage to nerve function and mobility. The introduction of universal screening means infants identified with the condition can access interventions before symptoms become severe.