General News
13 February, 2026
Infant health testing extended
Victorian newborns will be the first in Australia to get free screening for a rare but serious health condition.
Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas visited the Victorian Clinical Genetics Services (VCGS) this week to announce the addition of sickle-cell disease to the Newborn Bloodspot Screening Program. Sickle-cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that affects haemoglobin.
Commonly referred to as the ‘heel prick test’, the latest addition to the program will now see Victorian babies tested for 35 conditions. The test is offered to parents of all newborns within their first 72 hours of life, at no cost.
If untreated, it can cause severe health complications, including acute pain, anaemia, stroke, in-fections and permanent organ damage.
While sickle-cell disease only affects a small percentage of Australia’s population, its prevalence is increasing. Through screening, affected babies will be detected and treated early to prevent complications.
Treatment focuses on alleviating symptoms and preventing more serious and potentially life-threatening health complications — improving quality of life and reducing families’ long-term healthcare costs.
Newborn bloodspot screening began in Victoria in 1966, with more than 3.6 million babies screened to date — with one in 1000 found to have a rare, but serious condition.
In 2025, more than 74,000 Victorian newborns were screened under the newborn bloodspot screening program.
The Victorian Government is continuing to expand the program adding further rare conditions recently including congenital adrenal hyperplasia, spinal muscular atrophy, and severe combined immunodeficiency.
“We’re adding sickle-cell disease to the newborn screening program because our littlest Victorians deserve the best possible start to life,” Premier Jacinta Allan said.
“No family wants to think about having a child who is sick — but with the free heel prick test, parents can have peace of mind in those stressful early days with a new bub.”