Social media lobbying and poor communication have been identified as the key reasons why legal stoushes arise between hospital staff and parents of critically ill children, a report shows. 

UK medical ethics experts have provided advice in the wake of four British cases that made world headlines after hospitals and parents disagreed over what was in the best interests of the child.

In one case, infant Charlie Gard’s parents wanted him to have access to experimental treatment for mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome, but Great Ormond Street Hospital paediatricians thought it would be futile and prolong his suffering.

His parents are now lobbying for a new law to be introduced that only allows courts to become involved if there is a risk of significant harm to the child.