All newborn babies are set to have a heel prick test for Spinal Muscular Atroph…
In England, a quiet but consequential shift in newborn care is underway: from October 2026, every infant will be tested for spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic condition that, left unseen, can claim a child's life before their second birthday. The change arrives not only through science but through grief made public — among those who pushed hardest is Jesy Nelson, a former pop singer whose twin daughters carry the diagnosis and will never walk. It is a reminder that policy, at its most human, is often moved by those who have already paid the price it was meant to prevent.
- Spinal muscular atrophy strikes silently at birth, and without early intervention, it can kill infants before age two or leave children permanently unable to walk.
- Jesy Nelson's twin daughters were diagnosed with SMA — they require spinal jackets and foot splints, and the family's public reckoning with that reality helped force the issue into national conversation.
- Gene therapy can dramatically alter the course of SMA, but only if administered before symptoms emerge, making the timing of a heel-prick test a matter of life and mobility.
- England's NHS is set to begin rolling out universal newborn SMA screening in October 2026, with full national coverage targeted by October 2027, pending final regulatory approval.
- Campaigners and families are calling the announcement a victory, though the months between now and full implementation still represent a window in which some children may be born too soon to benefit.
England is preparing to test every newborn for spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic disease that weakens muscles and, in its most severe form, can be fatal before a child reaches the age of two. The announcement marks a turning point in how the condition is caught — and how early treatment can begin.
Among those who campaigned most visibly for the change is Jesy Nelson, the former Little Mix singer, whose twin daughters were diagnosed with SMA. The girls are not expected to walk and rely on spinal jackets and foot splints as part of their daily care. Nelson's decision to speak publicly about their diagnosis brought the condition to a wider audience and added personal urgency to what had long been a medical argument.
The case for screening rests on timing. Gene therapy exists that can transform outcomes for children with SMA — but its effectiveness depends on being administered before symptoms appear. A standard heel-prick test at birth creates the window that treatment requires.
The rollout is planned to begin across most of England in October 2026, with full expansion by October 2027, subject to final approval from the UK National Screening Committee. For families who have already lived through a late or missed diagnosis, the announcement is welcome — though the road to full implementation means some children will still be born into the gap.
A story is developing around Singer Jesy Nelson calls plan to test newborns for deadly muscle condition a 'victory'. All newborn babies are set to have a heel prick test for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) in England.
- Published All newborn babies in England will be tested for the genetic disease spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), as part of a major study. Former Little Mix singer Jesy Nelson has been campaigning for screening since her twin girls were dia…
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Singer Jesy Nelson calls plan to test newborns for deadly muscle condition a 'victory'.
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All newborn babies are set to have a heel prick test for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) in England.
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