The study will see around one in 12 newborns in England and Wales screened voluntarily over a two year period. PHOTOS/ DAILY
This will be the largest study of its kind to map the complete genetic sequence set of infants with potentially profound implications for pediatrics.
The £105 million Newborn Genome Program will study about 200 genetic conditions that are rare but still treatable.
“This is carried out with the aim of reducing the anxiety and suffering of babies and their families who sometimes have difficulty receiving a diagnosis through conventional tests,”
“By speeding up the diagnosis process, early treatment can be given to infants thereby preventing the development of many severe conditions,” the report said.
The study will see around one in 12 newborns in England and Wales screened voluntarily over a two year period.
This will serve as an additional screening test for newborns, with the findings potentially paving the way for sequencing to become routine.
However, the program also raises many long-standing ethical questions about genetics, consent, data privacy and priorities in infant health care.
