United Kingdom Petition to Parliament to Fund SMA Newborn Screening
The petition to fund newborn screening for SMA immediately was created by Dr. Laurent Servais and the deadline to collect signatures is 17 December 2021. If the petition reaches 10,000 signatures, the government will respond. Residents of the UK can sign the petition here. If you do not live in the UK, but know someone who is living there, ask them for their support.
Part of the petition states, “In the UK a baby is only tested for SMA after he/she presents symptoms, which are currently irreversible, or if a relative has typical symptoms of SMA. This inequality in life chances is not acceptable. Screening for SMA is safe, cost-effective, and extremely efficient. It could save lives and public money. For every 5 days that a decision is delayed, a baby with SMA could lose the chance of a brighter future.“