(Corrects name, 1st line).
Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia
(RPT Paglia), president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, on
Friday called for respect of the wishes of the parents of a
terminally ill 11-month-old, Charlie Gard, who do not want their
child to be taken off life support, as scheduled Friday.
The parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, wanted their son to
undergo experimental treatment in the US and have strenuously
opposed his doctors' decision to remove him from life support.
"The story of the little British child Charlie Gard and his
parents affects all of us for the amount of pain and hope it
delivers", Mons. Paglia was quoted as saying by Vatican Radio.
He added that he was close to the parents and those "who
treated him and fought with him".
The European Court of Human Rights has rejected an appeal
filed by the parents to enable Charlie, who suffers from a rare
genetic condition and has brain damage from which he will not
recover, to undergo treatment in the US.
Doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital are scheduled to take
him off life support on Friday.
Before the European court, judges in the UK had ruled that it
was lawful for the hospital to withdraw life-sustaining
treatment because the child would suffer harm if his present
suffering was prolonged without any realistic prospect of
improvement and that the experimental therapy could not provide
real benefits.
Politicians across the political spectrum in Italy condemned
the decision.
Anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Beppe Grillo,
a vocal critic of the EU, slammed the European court's ruling
saying it was "incredible" as it meant that the "entire EU" has
nothing to say "on such an atrociously fundamental issue".
Anti-migrant and anti-euro Northern League leader Matteo
Salvini said the decision amounted to a "homicide" and strongly
criticized doctors for reportedly refusing the parents' request
to take their child home to die after their last appeal against
their decision was denied.
Center-right Forza Italia Senator Lucio Malan called on
Italian President Sergio Mattarella to "intervene with Queen
Elizabeth" in order for the child not to be taken off life
support, which he said was an "execution".
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