England will screen all newborns for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) starting from 2027, as the NHS expands its newborn testing programme nationwide. SMA can cause severe muscle weakness and, in the worst cases, affect breathing and swallowing, but early diagnosis allows treatment to improve long-term outcomes. The government says the testing uses a simple heel-prick blood sample shortly after birth. The evaluation begins in the autumn, with laboratories ramping up from October 2026 and completion of full coverage by October 2027.