What was Charlie Gard’s case about?
Their own medical experts from overseas had examined Charlie and concluded that his condition was now too far advanced for experimental treatment to work. The family agreed to a plan to withdraw life support, though bitterly regretted what they perceived as …
What do we know about Charlie Gard’s disease?
Jul 17, 2017 · His parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, want him to undergo an experimental treatment called nucleoside therapy, which has shown some success in treating mitochondrial disease in laboratory mice. The therapy was used in Baltimore on Arturito Estopinan, a boy suffering from TK2-related mitochondrial depletion system.
What happened to Charlie Gard in Great Ormond Street?
Abstract. The case of Charlie Gard, an infant with a genetic illness whose parents sought experimental treatment in the USA, brought important debates about the moral status of parents and children to the public eye. After setting out the facts of the case, this article considers some of these debates through the lens of parental rights.
Is the media using Charlie Gard to attack single-payer healthcare?
Jul 10, 2017 · LONDON --A British court on Monday gave the parents of 11-month-old Charlie Gard a chance to present fresh evidence that their terminally …
Why is Charlie Gard on life support?
Michio Hirano, a neurologist at Columbia University, will evaluate 11-month old Charlie Gard, the British boy who is on life support because of a rare, lethal disease called mitochondrial depletion syndrome. Charlie is at the center of a fraught legal case in the U.K. concerning whether his parents can take him abroad ...
What happens if a gene is mutated?
A mutated gene produces a dysfunctional enzyme; without a functional enzyme, mitochondria can’t replace DNA that’s damaged or deteriorated. Eventually, mitochondria — and the cells they power — stop working, with devastating effects especially on cells of the muscles and brain.
How long can Arturito sit?
Arturito’s respiratory function and strength have improved noticeably on nucleoside therapy, Art Estopinan, his father, said: He can now move his fingers, hands, and toes, and sit (with support) at a 90 degree angle for 90 minutes compared to a 45 degree angle for 15 minutes previously.
Where are the patients receiving nucleoside bypass?
Hirano told a recent science meeting that 18 patients, most of them in Spain and Italy, are receiving nucleoside bypass therapy. At the June Mitochondrial Medicine symposium , which drew some 330 researchers and physicians to Alexandria, Va., Hirano described the research, two people who attended the meeting told STAT.
Where can I get compassionate use?
Food and Drug Administration, a program that allows patients who are otherwise out of options to receive experimental drugs that have not been approved by the FDA, he could receive the therapy in New York City.
Can Charlie's parents take him abroad?
Charlie is at the center of a fraught legal case in the U.K. concerning whether his parents can take him abroad to receive experimental treatment. Doctors at the hospital treating Charlie have said that every medical treatment option has already been explored, and have advised against transferring him abroad.
Is nucleoside therapy safe?
Nucleoside therapy “seems to be safe and well-tolerated,” said Charles Mohan Jr., CEO of the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, a patient advocacy group that funds research and which organized the Alexandria meeting.
Who were Charlie's parents?
This was contested by his parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates; the High Court ruled in favour of GOSH. This was confirmed by the Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights. During all this time, Charlie remained ventilated. In the High Court, Mr Justice Francis said that his decision was subject to revision should new evidence emerge ...
What is the best interest of a patient?
Treatment can be provided only if it serves those interests. “Best interests” generally means medical best interests , but the patient’s values and beliefs also count.
What is the problem with mediation?
But this gives us insight into a major problem for mediation: there has to be a willingness from both parties to give ground. Absent that, it’s hard to see how judicial input can be avoided.
What does autonomy mean in law?
Importantly, autonomy means that one can refuse treatment, or choose between offered treatment options. There’s no autonomy-based right in English law to demand treatment, though ( as confirmed in Burke ).
Is the case of the euthanasia case a case of euthanasia?
The case was definitely not a case of euthanasia, despite what some have claimed (and others have – correctly – denied ). Euthanasia requires the intention to end life, either by withdrawing treatment or administering one. Foreseeing that a life will end when treatment is withdrawn is not the same thing.
Can a child's opinion be different from his parents'?
More, we cannot infer that a child’s opinion is different from his parents’ because a child has no opinion; neither can we treat parental opinion as the child’s. Mediation. Several commentators have spoken about a role for mediation or another non-judicial form of decisionmaking in cases like this.
Is there any treatment for Charlie's condition?
There is no established treatment for Charlie’s condition, so maybe any treatment serves his interests – except that there is still a plausibility criterion to consider. There is a non-zero, but pitifully small, chance that chanting and crystals would work.
When will Charlie Gard be reconsidered?
The tragic case of Charlie Gard will be reconsidered by the High Court in London on July 13. Since its first ruling in April, baby Charlie’s plight has attracted international attention, including comments from the Pope and Donald Trump.
Is it legal for Charlie to get life support?
So far the courts have concluded that it would not be in Charlie’s best interests to undergo the experimental treatment and that it would be in Charlie’s best interests, and therefore lawful, for his life support to be withdrawn. Before the court could change this view, additional evidence would need to be produced that undermined its earlier conclusion that the proposed treatment would be futile. The purpose of the July 13 hearing is to explore whether such evidence exists.
Does Nicholas Clapham work for a company?
Nicholas Clapham does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.