neoSCB app to screen newborns for jaundice
Clinical Investigation of the Smartphone App neoSCB to Perform Neonatal Jaundice Screening in Newborn Babies
This project will test whether the neoSCB smartphone app can accurately detect significant jaundice in newborn babies by photographing the white part of the eye.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 405 (estimated) |
| Ages | N/A to 28 Days |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University College, London Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (London) |
| Trial ID | NCT06963450 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This is an observational project that takes smartphone photos of a newborn's sclera and applies a diagnostic algorithm to quantify yellowness as a marker of jaundice. Term infants up to 28 days old, with or without visible jaundice, will have scleral photographs taken and may undergo routine bilirubin testing as clinically required. The approach aims to reduce unnecessary hospital blood tests driven by imperfect visual inspection and to help identify infants needing timely treatment. The study is conducted at University College London Hospitals and builds on prior validation work in Ghana.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Term newborns aged 0–28 days who are clinically stable and have not recently received phototherapy are the intended participants.
Not a fit: Infants who are clinically unwell, require urgent medical attention, are preterm, or have recently received phototherapy are excluded and unlikely to benefit from this screening approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the app could enable quicker, more accurate screening for significant neonatal jaundice, reducing unnecessary blood draws and helping ensure earlier treatment when needed.
How similar studies have performed: The neoSCB app has previously been validated in Ghana with over 700 newborns and demonstrated promising accuracy compared with standard bilirubin testing.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Term newborn babies with and without jaundice (postnatal age 0 day to 28 days) Exclusion Criteria: * Newborn babies who are clinically unwell and require urgent medical attention, and babies who have received phototherapy recently
Where this trial is running
London
- UCL Hospitals — London, United Kingdom (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Judith Meek, MBBS — UCL Hospitals
- Study coordinator: Terence Leung, PhD
- Email: t.leung@ucl.ac.uk
- Phone: +442076790272
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.