U.K. judge invites American doctor to examine Charlie Gard

An American doctor told a British judge Thursday his experimental treatment could give baby Charlie Gard a 56 percent chance of “meaningful improvement.” Judge Nicholas Francis reopened Charlie’s case last week after previously siding with a London hospital that wants to remove him from life support. Charlie, now 10-months-old, has mitochondrial depletion syndrome, a rare genetic disease that left him with brain damage and unable to breathe unaided. His parents have been fighting for a chance to take him to another country for treatment. During Thursday’s hearing, the judge asked the unnamed U.S. doctor who testified via video link if he would come to London to examine the baby. “Yes if necessary, I would love to do that,” the doctor replied. Although he can’t cure Charlie, the doctor said he believed he could improve the baby’s cognitive function, although he couldn’t say for sure by how much. He also said Charlie might not have brain damage, as British doctors assert, but might only have muscle problems that the new drug treatment could fix. Charlie’s case has sparked an international debate about the rights of parents to seek the best medical treatment for their children. Doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London say further treatment for Charlie would only prolong his suffering, a claim his parents strenuously deny.