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UK Wedding News

08/08/2017

Consultation Regarding SCID Screening Launched

A consultation has been launched to look at whether screening for Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (SCID) in babies should be tried within the NHS.

Around 15 to 25 babies are born with SCID – a rare inherited condition which makes it more difficult for them to fight off infections – every year. While an infection is not serious for most babies, it can be life-threatening for those with the condition.

The consultation findings will provide valuable information about whether SCID should be added to the existing NHS newborn blood spot screening programme, which currently checks for nine rare, but serious, health conditions by taking a blood sample from a baby's heel.

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Screening for SCID would use blood from the current heel prick test to check if a baby has a low white blood cell count, which may make them more likely to have infections.

However, before a decision can be taken, more needs to be known about whether screening will save lives, the number of healthy babies found to have low numbers of white blood cells, and what care and treatment is best for babies who are found to have low numbers of white blood cells for reasons other than SCID.

Dr Anne Mackie, Director of Programmes for the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), is quoted as saying: "We currently test babies for nine rare but serious health conditions as part of the NHS newborn blood spot screening programme.

"This consultation will consider key organisations' and the public's views on how testing for SCID would work practically within the NHS. We need this information before the Screening Committee can make a recommendation on including SCID as part of the newborn programme."

The consultation will run until early November.

(JP/LM)

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"A consultation has been launched to look at whether screening for Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (SCID) in babies should be tried within the NHS."