US hospital offers to send drug to UK to treat Charlie Gard

A US hospital has offered to ship an experimental drug to the UK to help treat terminally-ill Charlie Gard.

The New York hospital also offered to admit the 11-month-old if "legal hurdles" can be cleared.

The hospital's statement on Thursday is the latest intervention after offers of help came from US President Donald Trump and Pope Francis.

Charlie's parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, are at the centre of a lengthy legal battle with doctors at London's Great Ormond Street Hospital, (GOSH) who say the treatment would not help the boy.

The US hospital said that it would treat the boy with an experimental drug pending approval from government regulators, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

It said it has "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".

It added: "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."

Charlie has a rare genetic condition affecting his mitochondria and doctors argued life support should be switched off because there is no chance of his condition improving.

A US specialist told judges that a "small chance" of a meaningful improvement in Charlie's brain function would be provided by therapy.

The High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court all ruled in favour of GOSH doctors.

Charlie's parents, both aged in their 30s and from Bedfont, west London, have been spending the last days of his life with him.