Had Charlie been given the treatment sooner, he would have had the potential to be a normal healthy little boy.” She stated that Charlie didn’t receive treatment months ago because he was found to have “irreversible brain damage” by the Greater Ormond Street Hospital doctors.
Full Answer
What happened to Mahdi Bacheikh?
In 2006, the parents of a disabled baby boy called Mahdi Bacheikh won their fight against the hospital's request to turn off the ventilator that kept him alive. The 19-month-old had spinal muscular atrophy, was almost totally paralysed and could not breathe unaided, but did not have any sign of brain damage.
What is Charlie Gard's condition?
Charlie is unable to move his legs and arms, breathe unaided or hold his eyelids open. He is also deaf, has severe epilepsy and his heart, liver and kidneys are affected. Undoubtedly, both doctors and parents want the best for Charlie.
What does medical professionals disagree with Charlie Gard's parents?
In the case of terminally ill baby Charlie Gard, medical professionals disagree with his parents over what is in his best interests. They want to stop his parents taking him to the US for experimental medical treatment, something they say is futile. And they want to stop providing his life support and allow him to die.
What is parental responsibility?
The Children Act 1989 describes it as "all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority which, by law, a parent of a child has in relation to the child and his property.".
Can parents refuse treatment?
Parents refusing treatment. In the UK, while parents have the right to make decisions about their children's medical treatment, their wishes will be overruled if they refuse a reasonable life-saving treatment which has a very high chance of working.
Can a hospital override a parent's wishes?
Chris Fairhurst, children's law expert from Slater and Gordon, explains that in these situations, parents' wishes can only be overridden by going to court because a hospital has no legal right or responsibility to make such a decision without either the parents' or the courts' permission. It takes a judge ruling in favour ...
Can Great Ormond Street Hospital withdraw Charlie's life support?
So far, the courts have ruled that Charlie should not be given treatment and that Great Ormond Street Hospital should be allowed to withdraw Charlie's life support. Chris Fairhurst, children's law expert ...