news

<< back to news archive

'Do not resuscitate' baby rulings

The High Court has given permission to doctors in separate cases to withhold life-saving resuscitation from two babies. Luke Winston-Jones, a nine-month old with Edwards' syndrome, has since died. Charlotte Wyatt, born at 26 weeks and suffering from severe lung disease of prematurity, is still alive in neonatal intensive care.

Both sets of parents took their cases to the court asking that the babies should receive full resuscitation if needed but the judges ruled that this would not be in their best interests.

Charlotte Wyatt has previously stopped breathing and been resuscitated on three occasions. Her parents, both committed Christians, had pleaded with the court not to give up on their baby, saying, 'when you get to the stage when you grow to love someone, you can't just throw them away like a bad egg'.

Peter Saunders, CMF's General Secretary, said the case showed that doctors 'don't have an absolute moral duty to use every treatment for every baby and sometimes the burden of intensive care may outweigh its benefits.' A BMA spokesman also agreed with the outcome of the case, saying that the judge made the decision in the best interests of Charlotte.

In a separate development, the Nuffield Council on Bioethics has established an independent review about the ethics of prolonging the life of very premature babies. While the working party was not set up in response to the Wyatt case, it will take into account the ruling handed down by the judge. The committee of the investigation aims to give clearer guidance to doctors on dealing with such complex problems.

Chairing the committee, a professor of law at Manchester University, Margaret Brazier said she approached the task 'with trepidation', as there were many difficult issues and strong opinions. She also added that the question arose as to how much these babies should be treated given that the means to do so is now available. Currently, doctors make decisions regarding newborn resuscitation on the 'viability' of the baby.

For further information:

Steven Fouch (CMF Head of Communications) 020 7234 9668

Media Enquiries:

Alistair Thompson on 07970 162 225

About CMF:

Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF) was founded in 1949 and is an interdenominational organisation with over 5,000 doctors, 900medical and nursing students and 300 nurses and midwives as members in all branches of medicine, nursing and midwifery. A registered charity, it is linked to over 100 similar bodies in other countries throughout the world.

CMF exists to unite Christian healthcare professionals to pursue the highest ethical standards in Christian and professional life and to increase faith in Christ and acceptance of his ethical teaching.