A UK trial now includes newborn SMA screening to enable early treatment and preserve mobility.

BBC Breakfast aired an emotional segment on Saturday highlighting the importance of early spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) screening after four-year-old Oakley, diagnosed at 12 weeks, shared his story. His parents, Nick and Amy, stressed that "time is muscle," as early gene therapy helped preserve his mobility. The segment followed Jesy Nelson’s disclosure that her twin daughters have SMA, fueling advocacy. The NHS has begun a trial to include SMA testing at birth, aiming to make it standard to enable immediate treatment and improve outcomes.