Peter Dowd

Peter Dowd

Labour — Bootle

Speaking in the House of Commons on 22 June 2026

Debate

Spinal Muscular Atrophy: Newborn Screening Test

Contribution

A group of SMA experts wrote an article in The Lancet in February 2025 entitled “The human toll of slow decisions”. They recommended that “expert opinion and international evidence should be more thoroughly integrated into the decision-making process of NSCs” and that “the decision of independent bodies such as the NSC should be subject to scrutiny by the Ministry of Health, given the substantial effect of failing in the duty of care.” The evidence and experience are there, but we are lagging behind. I hope the Minister agrees that we must stop taking a conservative approach to this. Children’s and families’ lives are at risk, and it has to stop.

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