UK’s foreign secretary backs doctors in Baby Charlie case

LONDON – Britain’s foreign secretary has backed the decision by U.K. courts to refuse to allow a terminally ill child to travel abroad for treatment for a rare genetic condition.

U.K. envoy Boris Johnson’s comment to the Italian foreign minister on Wednesday came after the Vatican children’s hospital offered to treat 11-month-old Charlie Gard. Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano raised the Vatican hospital’s offer in a previously scheduled call.

Johnson’s spokesman says 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.”

A succession of judges has backed specialists at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London who say the treatment won’t help Charlie and may cause him to suffer.

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