Charlie Gard is given US citizenship so he can ‘fly to America for treatment’ – as parents clash with Great Ormond Street over new brain scans
CHARLIE Gard has today been given US citizenship to allow him to fly over to America for treatment.
But the terminally ill baby's parents have lost their latest fight in their legal battle.
Chris Gard and Connie Yates are pushing for a brain scan which should take no longer than 30 minutes.
However, specialists at Great Ormond Street said a test would have to be carried out at least four hours to prove useful.
And judge Mr Justive Francis ruled in favour of the doctors at the hospital where Charlie is being cared for.
Yesterday a New York doctor failed to convince Great Ormond Street medics that his experimental treatment offers a lifeline to the 11-month-old baby.
The neuroscientist believes new drugs have a “small but significant” chance of reversing brain damage caused by Charlie’s rare genetic condition.
But he was unable to persuade the London hospital’s clinical team who believe it is kinder to turn off 11-month old Charlie’s life support.
Congressman Jeff Fortenberry, Republican US Representative for Nebraska, tweeted: "'We just passed amendment that grants permanent resident status to #CharlieGard and family so Charlie can get the medical treatment he needs."
Kansas rep Kevin Yoder posted a photo of the document.
The move could help pave the way for Charlie's parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates from Bedfont, west London, to take him to America if they can persuade judges he should receive the experimental medical treatment.
It comes as the terminally ill tot's parents released a new photo of him with his eyes open.
Earlier this month Charlie was given fresh hope after two United States Congressmen announced a bid to make him a lawful US resident.
Charlie's mum Connie said: “Chris and I are so grateful to Dr Hirano and the other clinicians for coming to see Charlie.
"Our gorgeous baby boy is still stable. We are at his bedside and feel satisfied he is not suffering or in any pain.
"As Charlie's loving parents we are doing the right thing for our son in exploring all treatment options."
Last week Mr Justice Francis, who previously ruled Charlie should be allowed to die, reopened the case after Dr Hirano came forward with new evidence.
The refusal of the hospital to drop its opposition to Dr Hirano’s three-month trial is a huge blow for Charlie’s parents.
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Dr Hirano was invited to the UK after the UK medics said his views should not be considered until he had seen Charlie himself. He flew in on Monday to examine Charlie and viewed a brain scan with an Italian expert.
Connie and husband Chris have been pushing to have their son sent to the US for pioneering treatment to treat his rare genetic condition - with the meeting the next step in the couple's fight for Charlie.
Dr Michio Hirano and another international expert were joined by the Great Ormond Street Hospital team currently caring for the tot, as well as an independent chairman.
A spokesman for the couple said the family would not be commenting on the meeting "as this is a judicial matter" and they do not wish to say anything that could potentially harm Charlie's case.
It is understood the tot will face more tests.
On Monday Dr Hirano, a professor of neurology at Columbia University in New York, was given full access to Charlie's medical records and hospital and clinical facilities, including diagnostic images, for four and a half hours.
Great Ormond Street has given Dr Hirano an honorary contract, which the hospital said gives him the same status as its own physicians and means he can examine Charlie.
After the fresh round of assessments and today's meeting, litigation is expected to resume next Tuesday.
It was previously reported the 11-month-old's first brain scan in three months left his parents feeling "optimistic".
Great Ormond Street Hospital specialists say the treatment will not work and the little boy's life support should be turned off.
His parents have already lost battles in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
They also failed to persuade European Court of Human Rights judges to intervene and recently pleaded with Prime Minister Theresa May to help.
Mr Justice Francis has considered the couple's latest claims at preliminary hearings in the Family Division of the High Court in London over the last few days.
He is due to stage further hearings later this month following this week's specialist gathering.
Despite Charlie's US doctor's insistence that he could help the tot, Great Ormond Street Hospital medics say the terminally-ill baby has "no quality of life" and "no real prospect of any quality of life".
Specialists say that despite advances in medical science, there are still some conditions that "we cannot cure and we cannot ameliorate".