Victoria has become the first state in Australia to include sickle cell disease in its universal newborn screening program, widening a routine test offered to families in the first days after birth.
Premier Jacinta Allan and Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas announced the addition during a visit to Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, positioning the move as an early-intervention step as the condition becomes more common in Australia.
The change expands the state’s Newborn Bloodspot Screening Program to 35 rare but serious conditions.
The screening, commonly known as the “heel prick test”, uses a small blood sample taken from a baby’s heel—typically between 36 and 72 hours after birth—and is offered to parents at no cost.
Why sickle cell screening matters
Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that affects haemoglobin—the protein that carries oxygen through the body.
In people with the condition, red blood cells can become rigid and crescent-shaped, making it harder for them to move through small blood vessels. Those cells can block circulation, restricting blood flow and oxygen delivery.
If the disease is not detected and managed early, it can lead to serious complications including severe pain episodes (often called sickle cell crises), chronic anaemia, increased risk of dangerous infections and a heightened risk of stroke.
Health authorities say identifying the condition in the first days of life allows clinicians to start management immediately—supporting families early and reducing the risk of the most severe outcomes.
Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas says expanding the bloodspot screening program will help ensure babies with rare disorders can access care sooner—when intervention can make the biggest difference.
A program with decades of reach
Victoria’s newborn bloodspot screening began in 1966 and has now screened more than 3.6 million babies. About one in every 1,000 babies screened is found to have one of the conditions included in the panel, according to program figures.
In the 2025 calendar year, more than 74,000 Victorian newborns were screened.
Premier Jacinta Allan says the change is designed to give newborns “the best possible start to life,” while noting the free heel-prick test can provide reassurance to families in the early days with a new baby
The state has also recently expanded routine testing to include conditions such as spinal muscular atrophy, severe combined immunodeficiency and congenital adrenal hyperplasia—each of which can cause serious harm if not identified and treated early.
