New York hospital agrees to admit Charlie Gard
A New York City hospital has offered to help Charlie Gard, a terminally ill British 11-month-old who U.K. and European courts have prevented from being treated abroad.
Gard suffers from a rare genetic condition that has left him brain damaged and unable to breathe on his own. His parents tried to bring him to the U.S. for an experimental treatment, but that effort that was blocked by the courts after doctors said it would not help him.
Both Pope Francis and President Trump have offered to help Gard, with Mr. Trump weighing in on the matter with a tweet earlier this week.
In a statement Thursday night, New York Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Irving Medical Center said it had agreed to admit Gard.
"New-York Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Irving Medical Center have agreed to admit and evaluate Charlie, provided that arrangements are made to safely transfer him to our facility, legal hurdles are cleared, and we receive emergency approval from the FDA for an experimental treatment as appropriate," the hospital said in a statement.
"Alternatively, if approved by the FDA, we will arrange shipment of the experimental drug to Great Ormond Street Hospital and advise their medical staff on administering it if they are willing to do so."
British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson announced earlier this week that he supported the courts' decisions.
"The foreign secretary said this was a deeply tragic and complex case for all involved, and said it was right that decisions continued to be led by expert medical opinion, supported by the courts, in line with Charlie's best interests," Johnson's spokesman said in statement.
Editor's Note: This story has been corrected to report Charlie Gard's correct age.
