NYC Hospital Says It Has 'Agreed to Admit' Charlie Gard

But 'legal hurdles' have to be cleared first
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 7, 2017 1:43 AM CDT
NYC Hospital Offers to Admit Charlie Gard
This is a photo of Charlie Gard provided by his family, at Great Ormond Street Hospital, in London.   (Family of Charlie Gard via AP)

A New York City hospital says it has "agreed to admit and evaluate" Charlie Gard, the terminally ill British baby whose case has attracted the attention of Pope Francis and President Trump. New York Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Irving Medical Center says it can admit 11-month-old Charlie, provided he can be safely transferred, "legal hurdles are cleared, and we receive emergency approval from the FDA for an experimental treatment," CBS reports. Charlie is currently in London's Great Ormond Street Hospital, and the New York hospital says another option would be to send the experimental drug there if the FDA approves, reports the Washington Post.

The Vatican has also offered to bring Charlie, who has a rare genetic disease, to Rome's Bambino Gesu hospital for treatment, but British courts have ruled that the boy should be kept in the UK and taken off life support because further treatment would only prolong his suffering. "The world is watching," website charliesfight.org says. "Two of the most powerful men in the world want to give Charlie Gard his chance." But despite the offers of help, the legal situation has not changed for Charlie, who could be taken off life support at any time, the AP reports. Legal experts say British courts dealing with the " terrible, terrible situation" have decided that overruling his parent's wishes is the best thing for the child. (More Charlie Gard stories.)

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