Newborn babies will be tested for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) as part of a major national trial examining whether screening for the rare genetic condition should become part of routine newborn testing.

The five-year study will investigate whether adding SMA screening to the newborn blood spot test is effective, practical and cost-effective for the NHS.

The research is being led by Professor Laurent Servais, a specialist in paediatric neuromuscular diseases at the University of Oxford’s Department of Paediatrics.

Former Little Mix singer Jesy Nelson has been among those campaigning for universal newborn SMA screening after her twins were diagnosed with the condition when they were six months old.

The trial will initially begin in Birmingham, Manchester and London before being expanded nationally from October 2027.

Researchers hope the programme will provide evidence about whether routine screening can identify babies with SMA earlier, potentially allowing affected children to receive appropriate care and treatment sooner.