Charlie Gard: US doctor at heart of case denies financial link to treatment
The US doctor at the heart of arguments over Charlie Gard has made his first public statement since the baby's parents dropped their legal fight over his treatment.
Dr Michio Hirano, professor of neurology at Columbia University Medical Centre in New York, denied having any financial interest in the experimental treatment considered for the baby.
He travelled to London last week to examine the youngster and discussed the case with Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) doctors.
On Monday, Charlie's mother Connie Yates and father Chris Gard abandoned attempts to persuade a judge to let him travel to America for experimental treatment.
Dr Hirano said on Tuesday: "I became involved in Charlie's case when I was contacted by his parents, and I subsequently agreed to speak with his doctors to discuss whether an experimental therapy being developed in my lab could provide meaningful clinical improvement in Charlie's condition.
"As I disclosed in court on July 13, I have relinquished and have no financial interest in the treatment being developed for Charlie's condition.
"Unfortunately, a MRI scan of Charlie's muscle tissue conducted in the past week has revealed that it is very unlikely that he would benefit from this treatment."
His comment comes one day after GOSH told a court hearing it was disappointed to find the professor had some financial interest in the treatment suggested for Charlie.
In its positioning statement, the hospital submitted that Dr Hirano contacted it in December last year about NBT (nucleoside treatment) and at the beginning of this month said he had new information.
It expressed concerns over his July 13 evidence to court that at this time he had not examined Charlie, read his latest medical records, or the opinions of experts who had seen him.
The statement added: "Further, GOSH was concerned to hear the professor state, for the first time, whilst in the witness box, that he retains a financial interest in some of the NBT compounds he proposed prescribing for Charlie.
"Devastatingly, the information obtained since 13 July gives no cause for optimism.
"Rather, it confirms that whilst NBT may well assist others in the future, it cannot and could not have assisted Charlie."