Petition · past parliament · Department of Health and Social Care
Review and fund newborn screening tests for cytomegalovirus (CMV)
Closed
6,576 signatures
What the petition asks
CMV is a common virus that can infect people of all ages, causing no signs/symptoms. If a pregnant woman catches the virus it can be passed on to her unborn baby. Around 1:200 babies are born with CMV, many with no symptoms at birth, and may go on to develop hearing loss or developmental problems.
CMV is the leading cause of non-genetic sensorineural hearing loss and in the first 28 days of life, a baby can be treated with anti-viral medication. If babies are not diagnosed they miss this treatment opportunity to limit some of the long-term impacts of the virus.
A recent report concluded that congenital CMV costs the economy £750 million a year. Newborn screening would quickly identify those who need to be treated and monitored, saving on these costs and untold heartache to families.
A recent report concluded that congenital CMV costs the economy £750 million a year. Newborn screening would quickly identify those who need to be treated and monitored, saving on these costs and untold heartache to families.
Timeline
| 1 Jun 2021 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 1 Dec 2021 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
6,576
Status
Closed
Department
Department of Health and Social Care
Opened
1 Jun 2021
Closed
1 Dec 2021
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.