Great Ormond Street Hospital has said its heart goes out to the parents of Charlie Gard after the pair dropped their lengthy legal battle for experimental treatment.

Staff at the centre for research excellence was caring for Charlie Gard and planned to pursue nucleoside therapy (NBT) until they believed the baby had suffered irreversible brain damage.

Charlie suffered from an extremely rare genetic mitochondrial depletion syndrome which eventually left him unable to breath or move.

Doctors at the hospital argued that he could not hear or see and that his brain had not grown over the last few months.

Court drawing shows Chris Gard and Connie Yates shedding a tear as they drop the legal case

“The hearts of all at GOSH go out to Connie Yates and Chris Gard,” the statement said.

"They feel now, and perhaps will feel for some long time to come, that if only GOSH had treated Charlie months ago, they would have been spared the impossible decision they make now.

"These deeply affecting questions deserve answers. From the moment of his diagnosis at GOSH, Charlie’s prognosis was known to be bleak."

The hospital clarified that nucleoside therapy was being pursued after diagnosis and the hospital even consulted with Professor Hirano, the New York neurologist who offered the experimental treatment later.

Due to the extremely rare form of disease Charlie suffers from, known as the RRM2B deficiency, no clinical trials have been carried out on animals or humans with the condition.

Dr Michio Hirano specialises in treating rare genetic conditions

"Shortly before the planned ethics committee application, he suffered increased seizure frequency and likely severe epileptic encephalopathy,"said Katie Gollop QC as she read the statement outside the High Court.

"The entire treating team formed the view that Charlie had suffered irreversible neurological damage and that as a result, any chance that NBT might have had of benefiting Charlie had departed.

"Charlie’s parents believe that his brain was not damaged, that it was normal on MRI scan in January and that treatment could have been effective at that time during the months that followed.

"There remains no agreement on these issues."

The parents of terminally ill Charlie Gard believe he would have benefited from the nucleoside therapy if it wasn't delayed.

Responding to the Gard's firm belief that Charlie still had his brain function, the lawyer said that this was based on an MRI carried out in January, but that GOSH "treats patients, not scans".

Concluding her statement, Barrister Gollop QC said: "Every day that passed was a day that was not in his best interests.

An exterior view shows the main entrance to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, Tuesday, July 18, 2017. American Dr. Michio Hirano of Columbia University, who specializes in treating rare genetic conditions, is meeting on Monday and Tuesday with other specialists at the hospital treating Charlie Gard, assessing the critically ill 11-month-old for the first time. The parents have fought in court for permission to take the child to the United States for treatment
An exterior view shows the main entrance to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, Tuesday, July 18, 2017. American Dr. Michio Hirano of Columbia University, who specializes in treating rare genetic conditions, is meeting on Monday and Tuesday with other specialists at the hospital treating Charlie Gard, assessing the critically ill 11-month-old for the first time. The parents have fought in court for permission to take the child to the United States for treatment

"Charlie’s has been an existence devoid of all benefit and pleasure.

"All of GOSH’s thoughts go with Charlie and his mother and father - the hospital wishes each of them peace in their hearts at the end of this day and each day to come."

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