The Albanese Labor Government is advancing the health of Australian newborns with a substantial investment in a new research initiative aimed at enabling life-saving interventions. The $5.5 million funding will support the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in developing a pioneering newborn screening platform to detect hundreds of life-threatening genetic conditions at birth.
This significant investment will fund a 12-month research trial in Queensland, where the platform will screen 24 genetic disorders in 60,000 newborns. Conditions to be screened include biotinidase deficiency, haemophilia, cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy, and severe combined immunodeficiency.
The initiative forms part of the $600 million Medical Research Future Fund’s National Critical Research Infrastructure Initiative, designed to reinforce Australia’s position as a leader in global medical research through cutting-edge systems, equipment, and facilities.
Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Ged Kearney, highlighted the transformative potential of the technology: “This advancement not only promises to reduce diagnosis timeframes, ensuring that newborns receive urgent care promptly, but also aims to give babies the best possible start in life. Labor remains committed to enhancing health outcomes across Queensland and Australia.”
Associate Professor Natalie Taylor from UNSW added: “As genomic technologies for newborn screening rapidly evolve, it is essential to prepare the health system thoroughly and collaborate closely with communities. This project will not only introduce and sustain critical research infrastructure but also involve stakeholders in making informed decisions about new conditions to screen for and designing resource-adequate care pathways. Our approach aims to improve newborn care now and future-proof the system for ongoing advancements in bloodspot screening science.”
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