Charlie Gard 7

[CaveMum]

Continuation of the discussion.

It looks highly unlikely that there will be a verdict today as GOSH have not yet been able to put their case across. The Gard family had their position heard this morning and currently an expert witness from the US is being questioned via video link.

In the US the Drs bill separately to the hospital so whilst the hospital may treat him for free that doesn't mean the Drs will.

I am getting so fed up with the head girl posts on here criticising others.

Absolutely, @portafinis, he will be very credible and a specialist in his field. I don't think anyone can disparage his evidence.

However, I think it's fair to say:

• he seems to be uncomfortable with the clinical side of things, i.e. he doesn't think he is qualified to comment on how much pain Charlie is in, he doesn't think he can discern between functional and structural brain damage.
• his interest in Charlie is primarily as a research subject (not saying that perjoratively, that's just his area), and he is aware that any improvements are likely to be minimal.

The tweets from court seemed to suggest he was taken aback / reluctant at the notion he should come over to assess Charlie.

This seems to indicate on the limited evidence available he is more of a researcher than a clinical neurologist.
He is someone C&C found online.
And I suspect he has not been involved in a court case of this magnitude previously.

The witness is clear he thinks he is now able to give more and better information to the court than he was during the full hearing in April.

Italy is an hour ahead of the UK, isn't it. I wonder if they'll keep the Italian doctor for tomorrow now. I hope he's been able to get on with paperwork while waiting his turn.

Only way to find out how much brain damage was reversible would be try the therapy, he says. (Murmurs of approval from Charlie's parents).

I'm not sure what to say about this.

It's a big "we don't know" not new evidence is it not?

He disagrees with the assessment put to the court in the past that the chances of improving Charlie's condition were "vanishingly small."

Millie I agree, he's being asked questions out of his comfort zone. I don't doubt his qualifications but they are best suited for another area. Hence, he is not helping the parents arguments that much.

To be fair, the NY witness is doing what I would expect, in that they have only given their opinion on those matters on which they are an expert (the mitochondrial stuff, and possible results of nucleoside therapy). NOT those matters which need a specialist neurologist -- which I assume GOSH have and who have already looked at him given their previous assessment of catastrophic brain damage.

The 'debate' over the skull size, is the judge really going to insist that a new MRI and further neuroradiologists have to get involved because one of the parents didn't agree with the measurement made using a tape measure, which isn't the relevant measurement anyway. As others have said, getting such a poorly child into a scanner isn't a trivial process, as I understand it.

"NY expert tells Armstrong only way to tell how much of brain dysfunction is permanent is to try the therapy." Let me experiment, might work, might make things worse, but let me have a go........................

this man contradicts himslf all th tim

how can he know it works but says he needs to know charlies brain function works

J B: How do we get our messages across stop his morphine please xxx
R J: Maybe we could start a hash tag and get it trending

Charlie's Army thinks medical care is a participation game show..

why dont thy vot on it lik x factor

Judge tells expert that reporters here say his identity known in the US. Press want to name him here. Judge may have to decide tomorrow.

Judge already said that Tweets will not change his decision!

Do they really think public opinion belongs in a court determining what is best for a child?

The public are not doctors.

thats th problm som

c and c dont believe the exprts at gosh

I can't believe this :(

Have been having to work and also deal with DC. Seems a lot has been happening.

@SkyFixerJim
1s

The American witness stands down. Where do we go from here, asks the judge? #CharlieGard

GOSH are apparently "lying bastewardes"

is thr anywhre to go

to me that wa all speculation from a scientist who liks experimenting

Has the judge given a verdict yet or will that be tomorrow?

@rabbitnothare not as fed up as you'll be if people make comments of the kind that will leave MNHQ with little option but to delete this thread, though

Some my understanding is that GOSH haven't re-measured Charlie's skull. The tweets from this morning and Joshua Rozenburg's report at lunchtime suggested that the judge was really irritated with them for coming to the hearing without that information.

doubt tomorrow gizza depens if he lts the scientist come over

1s

Court rises while lawyers discuss a plan to move the case forward. #CharlieGard