Babies across England will be tested for a rare but serious genetic condition from birth, giving them the best chance of successful treatment before symptoms appear.
The government will expand newborn screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) throughout the country as part of an evaluation programme. It will begin later this year and hundreds of thousands of babies will be screened thanks to the expansion of the scheme.
SMA can leave babies unable to sit up, crawl or walk. In the most severe cases, it stops them breathing or swallowing but, caught early enough, treatment can significantly improve outcomes for affected children.
Testing works through a simple heel prick to collect a small sample of blood from the baby, taken shortly after birth.
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, James Murray, said: "No parent should have to watch their child lose the ability to move or breathe, knowing that earlier treatment could have made all the difference.
"This expansion means babies across England will be tested from birth, giving them the best possible chance of a full and healthy life, and another step in the right direction as we do all we can to reduce health inequalities.
"I’m in awe of the campaigners who’ve worked tirelessly to raise awareness of this rare but very serious genetic condition. We’re moving faster and rolling screening out more widely to ensure children get the best treatment from the earliest possible moment."
The SMA screening evaluation will begin across England in the autumn, and the programme is moving faster than originally planned. Labs are set to start testing babies for SMA from October 2026 - three months ahead of schedule - after the government committed to speeding up the rollout earlier this year.
The Department of Health and Social Care will seek investment to fund the rollout. A similar programme has already been established in Scotland drawing on funding from the private sector, and the Department of Health and Social Care will look to take a comparable approach in England, working collaboratively with partners to deliver the rollout ahead of schedule.
Campaigner Jesy Nelson said: "After years of campaigning, it means so much to see the heel prick test for SMA begin rolling out from October, with implementation continuing throughout 2027 until every newborn screening laboratory across the UK is offering the test.
"Today is a day of hope. Knowing that future families will have access to early diagnosis and the opportunity for the best possible outcomes is something I’m incredibly proud to have supported. This is a victory for every family affected by SMA, whilst it can’t change the future of our children, I know it marks the beginning of a brighter future for future SMA families."
Giles Lomax, Chief Executive Officer of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) said: "After years of campaigning by the SMA Community and our partner organisations, this is a hugely important step forward. When newborn screening for SMA begins later this year in October, thousands of babies will benefit from earlier diagnosis and access to life-changing treatment.
"We are delighted to see the confirmation that the remaining six screening laboratories will begin screening from October 2027, this demonstrates a clear commitment to making newborn screening available across England.
"No family should face a postcode lottery when it comes to a condition where every day without treatment can lead to irreversible loss of motor neurons. We are incredibly grateful to the families, clinicians, researchers, supporters and campaigners who have helped us reach this point, and we look forward to the day when every newborn across the whole of the UK is offered this simple, life-changing test."
Through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the government has already announced funding for a £4.1 million evaluation to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of adding SMA to the heel-prick blood test given to newborns as standard.
This study, led by scientists at the University of Oxford, will inform future UK National Screening Committee recommendations on SMA screening for newborns.
