![](https://focus.independent.ie/thumbor/YgDy4WkIqmPLCK3VCDurKDGhDvA=/61x0:4466x2937/629x0/prod-mh-ireland/19fafc2d-2ec5-451e-8de5-0a769f3b3d83/20096f82-7c58-4298-a1e1-f5ae0fdc5d34/19fafc2d-2ec5-451e-8de5-0a769f3b3d83.jpg)
Why Ireland’s newborn heel prick test for rare diseases lags behind other countries
This is the test offered to newborns at between three and five days old where a sample of blood is taken from their heel and screened in a laboratory. Nine conditions are currently looked for – but rare disease campaigners said today that number should be …