DNA test to prevent antibiotic-caused deafness in newborns recommended for NHS use

A test that can determine whether a baby has a genetic variant that makes them vulnerable to deafness after taking a particular antibiotic has been recommended for NHS use.

Each year, around 1,249 babies are born in England and Wales with the m.1555A>G genetic variant.

These babies face the possible risk of hearing loss after taking gentamicin, an antibiotic often prescribed by doctors and midwives to treat neonatal bacterial infections, and many are not aware they have the variant until afterwards.

Alternative antibiotics are available but the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) does not support their widespread use due to their association with an increased risk of antimicrobial resistance.

In order to identify which babies should receive alternative effective antibiotics, an independent NICE committee has conditionally recommended the use of the genedrive kit - a test in which a newborn's cheek is swabbed and checked by the device for the genetic variant.

The results appear on a screen in under an hour, meeting guidelines on the recommended time limit in which babies should receive treatment.

The device also produces results more quickly than is currently possible with laboratory testing, which could help avoid delays in treatment for babies who have the variant.

While the test is in use, the NHS will collect more evidence on the test's effectiveness and efficiency so that it can be used more widely in various maternity settings.

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"Hearing loss has a substantial impact on the quality of life of the baby and their family", said Mark Chapman, interim director of medical technology at NICE.

He added: "The costs associated with hearing loss to the NHS are high, so driving an innovation like genedrive into the hands of health and care professionals to enable best practice can also ensure that we balance the best care with value for money, delivering both for individuals and society as a whole."

According to NICE, treating hearing loss with a bilateral cochlear implant costs an estimated £65,000 in the first year.

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Susan Daniels OBE, chief executive of the National Deaf Children's Society, said the genetic test "could play a pivotal role in preventing deafness" in some babies in the future.