Charlie Gard 15

[cjt110]

This is a thread following the legal and ethical questions raised by the recent court case involving Charlie Gard.

Please could we refrain from insulting or otherwise "bashing" his parents. It isn't in the spirit of Mumsnet and will get the threads removed.

Please could we also remember that at the heart of this case is a terminally ill baby and his heartbroken parents. There are those participating in and watching this thread for whom these issues are painful. Please let's try and be mindful of them when we post. This isn't a place for name calling or trivialising the very real pain they feel. Many parents of severely disabled children are on here.

Lastly, here are some hopefully useful reference points of facts surrounding the case.

13 July GOSH position statement on latest hearing (includes update on Charlie's condition):
www.gosh.nhs.uk/file/23611/download?token=aTPZchww

7 July GOSH statement on Charlie:
www.gosh.nhs.uk/news/latest-press-releases/latest-statement-charlie-gard

June 2017 Supreme Court decision:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6rPmvGlNhA&app=desktop

May 2017 Court of Appeal Decision:
www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2017/410.html

April 2017 High Court Decision:
www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2017/972.html

GOSH FAQ page on Charlie:
www.gosh.nhs.uk/frequently-asked-questions-about-charlie-gard-court-case

Timeline so far

August 4, 2016 Charlie born 8lb 3oz to Connie Yates and Chris Gard.

October 2016 Tests reveal mitochondrial depletion syndrome.
Believed to be only 16th sufferer in the world of rare strain.

Autumn 2016 Miss Yates finds specialist in US testing nucleoside therapy, but it has never been tried on Charlie’s rare type.

January Gosh doctors say drug would be futile because of irreversible brain damage. Parents contact US doctor.

March Gosh asks High Court to let Charlie die. Mr Justice Francis gives parents a month to make case for treatment. Daily Mail readers help raise £197,000 in days to help fly Charlie to US.

April Doctors say he is likely to be in pain. Judge rules Gosh should let him die.

May Court of Appeal upholds ruling. Parents appeal to Supreme Court.

June Supreme Court rejects appeal. On June 27, European judges back decision. Gosh gives parents more time with Charlie. Pope Francis intervenes, followed by Donald Trump on July 3.

July 7 Seven scientists hand Gosh fresh evidence showing higher survival chances.

July 10 Mr Justice Francis gives parents 48 hours to produce new evidence in case.

July 13 US specialist Dr Michio Hirano invited to London by High Court

July 17 Dr Hirano examines Charlie.

July 21 Court told scan results ‘very sad’.

Today, 24 July, High Court due to rule on the case, ten days before Charlie’s birthday.

My heart breaks for them.

The wording is very telling, "time has run out for Charlie", they will never have peace or come to terms with his death as they truly believed that treatment could have given him a chance if GOSH and the courts had not blocked it at the outset.

Oh how utterly dreadful- no matter what the outcome and the rights and wrongs of pursuing - this how truly dreadful for everyone who loves that little boy.

Bless them all.

C&C didn't make threats but they did call GOSH liars and their barrister "evil". I don't think they will be able to find peace if they cannot accept that Charlie, at this stage in medical history, was doomed to not survive infancy from outset, just like every other baby born with the same condition.

It was a tragedy that never had any prospect of the positive outcome that the parents were misled into believing was possible

Across I haven't seen any live feed but it's on Sky news just now. Can see in the background behind the reporter that there are some protestors outside the court, they have music playing full blast, kids running around with balloons but I don't think the adults are shouting any longer.

Shit.

Doesn't sound like the scales have fallen from her eyes tbh.

im sorry for thm but its still turning into a blam gam

This is NOT going to help with the anti-GOSH sentiment...way to rile the mob

I don't think they should have allowed Connie Yates to take the stand...this will be CA bait

@JoshuaRozenberg

Connie: no evidence of irreversible brain damage. If we'd had access to raw data, we're convinced he would have had treatment.

Oh god her comments are really going to cause massive issues.

It doesn't sound like they are going to let this drop does it?

The protestors are still there as of about thirty seconds ago when I last checked. Still chanting about GOSH.

This is deeply inappropriate and unfair to GOSH. I'm not happy with this at all.

Connie: treatment would have improved his quality of life.

She doesn't know that.
The chances were miniscule.
She is setting up a scenario to torture herself (and others) with. Very sad...

@JoshuaRozenberg

Connie: his illness has deteriorated to the point of no return. But no organ has failed. No proof he is in pain or suffering.

@skyrobcatherall

Our poor boy has just been left to lie there for months without treatment ... left with this illness to deteriorate to point of no return

From what Connie is saying they still believe he would have had a chance had the treatment been done earlier.

What the hell is she playing at...

For fuck sake .bullshit

They going to whip up the MOB and lead to Trump exploiting it.

It's getting a bit harder to have sympathy towards her statement about 'if we'd had raw data at the time he would have had treatment' when we know the MRI had to be done against parental wishes.

4 courts said no but its still goshs fault

its not going to hlp thm

I was starting to admire her standing up until she started to speak.

And there's the criminal negligence case.

I am worried about the comments being made. It feels as if litigation is probable