Should every baby’s DNA be sequenced?
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Science & technology | Small people; big data
Should every baby’s DNA be sequenced?
The genomic generation is on its way
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Photograph: Magnum Photos
Jun 29th 2026|6 min read
W HEN FREDDIE was born in April 2025, he seemed like a healthy baby. But at four weeks old, he was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare and aggressive form of eye cancer. He was treated with a combination of chemotherapy and laser treatment to remove the tumours from his eyes, in which a laser guides cell-destroying medicine to exactly where it is needed. Because Freddie’s cancer was caught early, he has a greatly improved chance of growing up with normal eyesight.
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