Charlie Gard's parents want to take him to the US to try experimental treatment that may prolong his life: PA

Social media users moved by the tragic case of Charlie Gard should stop attacking doctors and instead read the court judgments setting out the facts of his illness, a paediatrician has said.

Dr Ranj Singh, an NHS doctor, appears regularly on This Morning and is the creator of the children’s programme Get Well Soon.

He told The Independent the care of medical staff at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) was “the reason [Charlie] is alive” and that “there’s no reason for them to wish ill intent towards” any patient.

Charlie, aged just 11 months, has a rare genetic condition that means he has brain damage and his muscles are not developing. At least one doctor believes he is “likely” to be suffering, potentially at a “significant” level.

Successive courts have ruled his life support should be switched off due to the degenerative nature of his illness.

A hugely emotional public debate has raged over Charlie’s case as his parents have fought to be allowed to take him to the US for experimental treatment they believe could improve his life.

US President Donald Trump and Pope Francis have both waded into the debate around the plan. Judges have concluded the treatment, which has never been used on people, or even animals, with Charlie's particular illness, would be “futile” because there was so little chance it would work.

The doctor who offered it could not guarantee it would have any effect in reversing Charlie's brain damage.

Dr Singh told The Independent: “These are not judgments that have been taken lightly, or reached easily. Their job is to provide an objective assessment and decision on complicated areas like this, when mutually agreeable decisions can’t be reached.

“People need to go to the court transcripts and have a look at what the arguments are. This is a highly emotive case.

“It will naturally get people’s emotions and opinions up, and many people will take to social media to get their information and express themselves. Unfortunately that means it’s jumping on a bandwagon.

“People have formed opinions already. There’s a huge distrust of the medical profession around cases like this.

“That’s sad, because what you’ve got to think about is the teams that are looking after this extremely unwell child, they do this day-in, day-out. The reason these patients are alive in the first place is because of the 24-hour care that these people provide.

“That’s not because I think people are trying to be deliberately malicious. People are expressing themselves and being part of a group that thinks the same way.

“If it’s a complex case for medical professionals to get their heads around, it must be even more complex for lay members of the public.”

Dr Singh’s comments came as GOSH applied for a fresh hearing “in light of claims of new evidence” for a potential treatment for Charlie’s condition.

Dr Singh said any new evidence “should be reviewed ... but that evidence needs to be good enough".

Judges in the case have also faced severe criticism as the debate has spread internationally.

But in the Court of Appeal's ruling, Lord Justice McFarlane noted the “strong feelings of sympathy and respect that run like a seam throughout” the judgment made previously by a family court judge.

Mr Justice Francis had called his decision “my sad duty”, describing it as “the darkest day for Charlie’s parents who have done everything that they possibly can for him”. He added: “My heart goes out to them.”

Charlie Gard's story has caught the nation's attention, with the Pope & @realDonaldTrump wading in. But does Dr Ranj think that’s helpful? pic.twitter.com/xvlBdFLVaS — This Morning (@thismorning) July 5, 2017

Charlie’s mother, Connie Yates, said she believed her son was not “suffering” or in pain, and that Mr Trump’s intervention had given her renewed hope.

She told Good Morning Britain: “We are not bad parents, we are there for him all the time, we are completely devoted to him and he's not in pain and suffering, and I promise everyone I would not sit there and watch my son in pain and suffering, I couldn't do it.”

Ms Yates and Charlie's father, Chris Gard, are estimated each to have spent about 3,200 hours by the boy's side at GOSH. A High Court judge praised their “absolute dedication” and “brave and dignified campaign on [Charlie's] behalf”.

Story continues