Newborn babies now screened for more genetic diseases

Thu, 08 Jan 2015

Manx newborn babies are now being screened for more genetic diseases.

From the start of January, four rare conditions were added to the list of debilitating diseases tested for at birth in heel-prick blood tests.

Along with checks for Cystic Fibrosis and Sickle Cell disease - specialists will now also look for inherited conditions like homocystinuria and glutaric acidaemia type 1.

It's being rolled out in the UK after a successful pilot scheme by Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust found 20 more cases of the conditions in 700,000 babies.

Jane Sloane is the head of midwifery at Noble's Hospital, she says it's best not to leave it to chance: