England to mandate newborn SMA screening by 2027
A major Oxford-led study will make England the latest part of the UK to routinely test newborns for spinal muscular atrophy, unlocking the clinical and economic potential of early gene therapies.
All newborn babies in England will be tested for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) through a major University of Oxford-led study, with a full national rollout expected by October 2027.
The policy marks a significant shift in pediatric healthcare logistics. SMA is a genetic condition that causes severe muscle weakness, robbing infants of the ability to walk, breathe and swallow. In its most aggressive forms, it is fatal before a child's second birthday.
The new screening programme is fundamentally designed to integrate with a new class of pioneering gene therapies that can correct the genetic defect causing SMA. Because these treatments cannot undo damage that has already occurred, they must be administered before symptoms emerge. For health systems, routine screening is the only mechanism to make these advanced therapies clinically effective and economically justifiable on a large scale.
Testing will be deployed across most of England from October 2026. The programme resolves a controversy sparked by earlier plans, which would have restricted screening to just 72% of the country. Scotland already includes SMA in its standard newborn screening.
The diagnostic test will use a blood sample taken via the standard heel prick shortly after birth. Hundreds of thousands of babies are expected to be screened during the study phase. The resulting data will allow the UK National Screening Committee to determine whether SMA testing should become a permanent fixture in the state healthcare system.
The expansion follows a sustained public campaign by former Little Mix singer Jesy Nelson, whose twin daughters were diagnosed with SMA. "This is a victory for every family affected by SMA," Nelson said. "Whilst it can't change the future of our children, I know it marks the beginning of a brighter future for future SMA families."
Health Secretary James Murray credited the policy shift to advocacy efforts. "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," Murray said.
