Social Democrats health spokesperson Pádraig Rice has welcomed that Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) and Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) have finally been added to the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening, commonly known as the heel prick test.
Deputy Rice, who chairs the Oireachtas Health Committee, said:
“This is an incredibly important milestone for families impacted by SCID and SMA across the country.
“In 2023, the Government accepted the National Screening Advisory Committee’s (NSAC) recommendation that the newborn screening programme should be expanded to include both conditions.
“It should not have taken three years to get this over the line, and I have raised this on multiple occasions in the last year.
“During this delay, babies born with SCID and SMA missed out on early detection, leading to unnecessary delays in diagnosis and treatment.
“Early detection through screening is essential for access to effective treatment for these rare conditions. Ultimately, this leads to better outcomes.
“Now Ireland screens for 11 conditions, but we still lag behind many of our European counterparts. Italy screens for 48 conditions, followed by Austria at 31 and Portugal at 30.
“Acceptance of further NSAC recommendations – one of which is expected by the end of the year on Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) – must avoid further prolonged, multi-year implementation periods.
“Expanding the newborn screening programme must be viewed as a priority in line with the National Rare Disease Strategy.”
April 13th, 2025