Charlie Gard: Treatment can prolong life, Dr. Marc Siegel says
The parents of Charlie Gard, an 11-month old terminally ill baby in Britain, want to take their child to America to get treatment for a rare disease which has caused brain damage. But socialized medicine in Britain put the government in charge of the child’s life.
The British government says the treatment would be extremely painful for the baby and would like for him to stay in Britain, but in Dr. Marc Siegel’s opinion, the parents should be in charge.
“[As a physician] I'm either supposed to relieve suffering or prolong life. [It’s] not the government’s role to decide that a life should end,” he said during an appearance on FOX Business.
Siegel said the baby was in discomfort, and while the treatment won’t bring about a cure, it could potentially extend his life.
“This treatment has prolonged life in some cases… The mitochondria, is the engine of the cell and is deteriorated… this enables it to work again,” he said. “I don’t agree with the government here that somehow the baby is in agony and they have to end the agony.”