[One Degree]

Charlie had a very successful life. He affected more people than 99.9% of us can expect in our 7 or 8 decades.

[snapdragon]

The way I see it is that his parents, who love Charlie more than anyone else, are seeking the best possible medical care to hopefully save their son's life. They are surely not thinking of charlie in terms of a lab rat as you do.

Unfortunately, there is no such medical care. I think his parents are grabbing at anything and while it's an awful situation for them to be in, sometimes there's nothing to be done.

I am wondering if all those that think this American doctor is a quack or fraud would change their minds if the doctor tells the Judge that the treatment will not help Charlie. Probably not.

He shouldn't have claimed it would in the first place. It's a cruel thing to do.
It has been reported that the doctor spent much of his five hour examination of Charlie and the test results, discussing the rights and wrongs of using Charlie as a guinea pig in order to further the knowledge of medical science. That can't, nor should it, be allowed under British law. I don't know if that's true, mind. No doubt we'll find out fairly soon.

If someone volunteers to try untested experimental medical treatment, that's one thing, but Charlie isn't able to do that.
His parents have no legal right to do it for him.

[LV-GUCCI-PRADA-FLEX]

Charlie had a very successful life. He affected more people than 99.9% of us can expect in our 7 or 8 decades.

No he didn't. He didn't have a life at all. That's why his parents wanted to throw money away on the strength of pure hope. Lets not let feelings get in the way of the truth here.

[snapdragon]

His parents have agreed to end his life support. They blame GOSH for wasting time, of course, but the truth seems to be there hasn't been any hope since January.

GOSH themselves took a swipe at the quack doctor for giving the parents false hope and raising unrealistic expectations.
It turns out this doctor has a financial interest in his so called treatment.

Who would have thought it?

The below is taken from GOSH's website:

Professor Hirano (“the Professor”), whose laboratory research has an international reputation, is very well known to the experts at GOSH and he communicated with them about NBT treatment for Charlie at the very end of December. In January, GOSH invited the Professor to come and see Charlie. That invitation remained open at all times but was not taken up until 18 July after being extended, once again, this time by the Court.

4

9. In the months between January and July, the Professor provided written and oral evidence for the best interests hearing in April and, after the Court decided that NBT was not in Charlie’s best interests, he went on to provide further written evidence for the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. Most recently, on 6 July, he co-signed the letter indicating that he had new information that changed the picture for Charlie, that brought this case back before the High Court.

10. When the hospital was informed that the Professor had new laboratory findings causing him to believe NBT would be more beneficial to Charlie than he had previously opined, GOSH’s hope for Charlie and his parents was that that optimism would be confirmed. It was, therefore, with increasing surprise and disappointment that the hospital listened to the Professor’s fresh evidence to the Court. On 13 July he stated that not only had he not visited the hospital to examine Charlie but in addition, he had not read Charlie’s contemporaneous medical records or viewed Charlie’s brain imaging or read all of the second opinions about Charlie’s condition (obtained from experts all of whom had taken the opportunity to examine him and consider his records) or even read the Judge’s decision made on 11 April. Further, GOSH was concerned to hear the Professor state, for the first time, whilst in the witness box, that he retains a financial interest in some of the NBT compounds he proposed prescribing for Charlie. Devastatingly, the information obtained since 13 July gives no cause for optimism. Rather, it confirms that whilst NBT may well assist others in the future, it cannot and could not have assisted Charlie.

11. In the months ahead, all at GOSH will be giving careful thought to what they can learn from this bruising court case that might enrich the care it provides to its most vulnerable patients and families. It is hoped that those who, like the Professor, have provided the opinions that have so sustained Charlie’s parents, their hopes and thus this protracted litigation with its many consequences, will also find much upon which to reflect.

[Hindsite]

His parents have agreed to end his life support. They blame GOSH for wasting time, of course, but the truth seems to be there hasn't been any hope since January.

GOSH themselves took a swipe at the quack doctor for giving the parents false hope and raising unrealistic expectations.
It turns out this doctor has a financial interest in his so called treatment.

Just as I thought. They are still saying the Doctor is a quack and they knew best, even after the doctor came all the way from America and said it was too late for him to help Charlie. As far as financial interests, that is not unusual, because that is the way the capitalist system in America works.

Your GOSH report said the following:
"Devastatingly, the information obtained since 13 July gives no cause for optimism. Rather, it confirms that whilst NBT may well assist others in the future, it cannot and could not have assisted Charlie."

[snapdragon]

Stop making excuses for him. It was never possible for him to help Charlie. He claimed he had new evidence, but he didn't.

[Hindsite]

Stop making excuses for him. It was never possible for him to help Charlie. He claimed he had new evidence, but he didn't.

Calling a doctor a quack is a serious charge in America. I saw no evidence that justified such a harsh accusation. At one time there were no cures for cancer. Now however, certain cancers, if caught early enough, can be treated and cured. Who really knows that Charlie couldn't also have been treated successfully, if proper treatment was began earlier, just as his parents believed?

Your GOSH report said the following:
"Devastatingly, the information obtained since 13 July gives no cause for optimism. Rather, it confirms that whilst NBT may well assist others in the future, it cannot and could not have assisted Charlie."

They obviously don't know that it could not have ever assisted Charlie. That is just their own statement to cover their own asses.

[snapdragon]

Calling a doctor a quack is a serious charge in America. I saw no evidence that justified such a harsh accusation.

Sorry, but I do. What else would you call a man willing to experiment on a seriously ill baby with a dodgy potion he stood to make money from?

At one time there were no cures for cancer. Now however, certain cancers, if caught early enough, can be treated and cured. Who really knows that Charlie couldn't also have been treated successfully, if proper treatment was began earlier, just as his parents believed?

His parents were desperate. There was no such treatment. There is no such treatment.

Your GOSH report said the following:
"Devastatingly, the information obtained since 13 July gives no cause for optimism. Rather, it confirms that whilst NBT may well assist others in the future, it cannot and could not have assisted Charlie."

They obviously don't know that it could not have ever assisted Charlie. That is just their own statement to cover their own asses.

Of course they know. The experience GOSH has in treating mitochondrial disorders is second to none. From a statement made earlier by from GOSH

GOSH has treated over a thousand patients with mitochondrial disease and offers pioneering treatment, including nucleoside treatment, where appropriate. Despite all the advances in medical science made by GOSH and the other hospitals around the world, there remain some conditions that we cannot cure and we cannot ameliorate

They know a snake oil salesman when they see one, too.