GREAT Ormond Street has slammed the US doctor who offered to treat Charlie Gard - as his parents announced they will give up their legal fight to keep him alive.

In an extensive statement this afternoon the hospital made their efforts in treating the desperately ill boy clear, and outlined their "disappointment" in Dr Michio Hirano.

4 Dr Michio Hirano believed he could help save baby Charlie but has been slammed by Great Ormond Street

4 Charlie's parents fought through the courts to try to gain permission to take their terminally-ill baby to the United States for experimental treatment Credit: PA:Press Association Images

The 56-year-old waded into the international debate over Charlie's treatment and thought experimental drugs - which he has a "financial interest" in - could reverse brain damage caused by the 11-month-old's rare genetic condition.

The statement from the hospital said: "When the hospital was informed that the Professor had new laboratory findings causing him to believe NBT would be more beneficial to Charlie than he had previously opined, GOSH’s hope for Charlie and his parents was that that optimism would be confirmed.

"It was, therefore, with increasing surprise and disappointment that the hospital listened to the Professor’s fresh evidence to the Court.

"On 13 July he stated that not only had he not visited the hospital to examine Charlie but in addition, he had not read Charlie’s contemporaneous medical records or viewed Charlie’s brain imaging or read all of the second opinions about Charlie’s condition (obtained from experts all of whom had taken the opportunity to examine him and consider his records) or even read the Judge’s decision made on 11 April.

"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.

4 Charlie Gard's parents paid tribute to their son this afternoon as they gave up the legal battle Credit: PA:Press Association

4 Charlie Gard is on a life support machine at Great Ormond Street Hospital Credit: PA:Press Association

"Rather, it confirms that whilst NBT may well assist others in the future, it cannot and could not have assisted Charlie."

On July 17 the US professor - based at the Columbia Medical Center - visited him for the first time along with a second unnamed doctor and left after five hours.

He was handed an honorary contract, which the hospital said gives him the same status as its own physicians.

This meant he could examine Charlie, and had full access to his medical records and the hospital’s facilities.

But after new scans showed the extent of damage done to the 11-month-old’s muscle and tissue Connie and Chris accepted it was "irreversible".

Connie said: "Had Charlie been given the treatment sooner he would have had the potential to be a normal, healthy little boy.

MOST READ IN NEWS Breaking 'PERILOUS POINT' PM warns stricter rules likely to last 6 MONTHS ruining Xmas for millions HOME OFFICE Brits told to 'work from home if you can' as PM set to slap 10pm curfew on pubs 'TOUGH S**T' Lawyer refuses to scrap 'offensive' LGOPNR number plate.. can you work it out? BOGGED DOWN Shoppers fill trolleys with loo roll as stores urge Brits NOT to panic buy GRINCHES Mum reveals HUGE Xmas gift haul for daughter - but some parents brand kid 'spoilt' UNDER PRESSURE What time is Boris Johnson's announcement today?

"He may well have had some disabilities later on in life but his quality of life could have been improved greatly."

She said the parents had always listened to experts about what was possible for their son.

The couple also thanked Great Ormond Street Hospital nurses and staff for keeping their son "comfortable and safe".

She said: "Now we will never know what would have happened if he got treatment but it's not about us. It's never been about us. It's about what's best for Charlie now.

"At the point in time when it has become too late for Charlie we have made the agonising decision to let him go."

Charlie Gard's condition and his story so far Charlie Gard is in the “terminal stages” of a disease called mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome, after both of his parents were unknowingly carrying the faulty gene. Sufferers of the condition do not get energy to their muscles, kidneys and brain, and is typically fatal in infancy and early childhood. The 11-month-old is said to be one of only 16 people to have ever had the condition and his desperate mum and dad have been unable to find a treatment in the UK for him. They raised £1.3million to send him America for treatment but doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital said Charlie should be allowed to die in dignity and applied for permission to have his ventilator switched off. The European Court of Human Rights’ ruled the doctors' decision would be upheld and his parents were not allowed to intervene in their child’s case.

The family were given extra time to say goodbye before his life support is turned off. Now US President Donald Trump and the Pope have offered to help as "Charlie's Army" vocalised their support for him all over the world. British doctors say their "hands are tied" and they are unable to let the tot fly to Italy, so the Italian foreign minister called for crisis talks with Boris Johnson - who backed the doctors' and courts' decision. Theresa May also confirmed she supports Great Ormond Street’s decision not to let Charlie fly. She was set to speak with Trump about the child's fate at the G20 summit in Hamburg, as his followers continued their support. The Pope declared on July 6 he wanted to give the youngster a Vatican passport to help him travel to an Italian hospital for treatment, before a New York Hospital offered to admit him - and even ship experimental drugs to the UK. On July 10 Charlie's parents went back to the High Court and asked for a fresh review. Days later Dr Michio Hirano travel from New York on July 17 to examine the baby boy, but on July 21 doctors said the latest scans made for "sad reading". GOSH chairwoman Mary MacLeod said doctors and nurses at the hospital had been subjected to abuse and threatenbing messages. Finally Charlie's parents made the heartbreaking decision to let their boy go, and to stop their legal battle.

To drop the case is a devastating decision for Chris Gard and Connie Yates, who have dedicated five months to fighting for their son to travel to the US for pioneering treatment they hoped would save his life.

The case was dropped at the 11th hour, with the tot now not expected to reach his first birthday next week on August 4.

In another statement the hospital added: "Over the weekend, they [the parents]communicated their desire to spend all the time they can with Charlie whilst working with the hospital to formulate the best possible plan for his end of life care.

"The agony, desolation and bravery of their decision command GOSH's utmost respect and humble all who work there."

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368.