Jesy Nelson has initiated a petition with Parliament today, urging mandatory spinal muscular atrophy screening for all newborns. Supporting the Mirror campaign, the former Little Mix singer’s twins suffer from this debilitating disease, which could have been prevented with a simple £5 blood test at birth. Partnering with the Mirror and SMA UK, Jesy aims to advocate for adding SMA screening to the NHS heel prick test for all infants, emphasizing the importance of early detection and intervention.
Taking to Instagram, Jesy informed her 9.7 million followers about the petition’s launch, garnering over 40,000 signatures already. Stressing the significance of early treatment, she highlighted the availability of three NHS treatments that can effectively combat SMA if administered shortly after birth to prevent irreversible muscle damage.
Despite her twins being diagnosed with SMA at six months, Jesy emphasizes the urgency of early screening to avoid severe health impacts. Currently, an NHS pilot plan excludes one third of newborns in England from SMA testing, a move criticized by experts as unethical. Jesy, who gave birth prematurely in May, has been actively raising awareness about SMA on Instagram to educate others about the condition.
As the petition gains traction on the Parliament website, the Government must respond once it reaches 10,000 signatures, with potential parliamentary debate at 100,000 signatures. Giles Lomax, CEO of SMA UK, lauds the petition collaboration with Jesy and the Mirror, advocating for swift inclusion of SMA in newborn screening to enhance health outcomes and early treatment access.
The UK National Screening Committee previously overlooked adding SMA to newborn screening but with recent NHS treatments offering a cure, the urgency for nationwide screening grows. While England’s full screening rollout may delay until 2031, Scotland has already committed to SMA screening in spring. Health Secretary Wes Streeting acknowledges the need to explore expanded screening, emphasizing evidence-based decision-making.
SMA UK has established a text line (Text JESY5 to 70470) for supporting SMA-affected families, urging donations to aid their cause. The push for universal SMA screening intensifies as the benefits of early detection and intervention become more apparent globally.
