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England and Wales decisions
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The High Court authorised withdrawal of ventilation for a seven-year-old girl with profound brain injury, finding ongoing treatment was no longer in her best interests.
G (Discontinuation of Ventilatory Support), Re [2026] EWHC 812 (Fam) (02 April 2026)
The High Court held that continued mechanical ventilation for G, a severely brain-injured child, was no longer in her best interests and authorised withdrawal.
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust v RNM & Ors [2026] EWHC 452 (Fam) (27 February 2026)
The High Court authorised withdrawal of ventilatory support for a severely brain-injured toddler, holding that ongoing treatment was not in his best interests.
The court found that, despite significant burdens from pain and interventions, Fatima retains awareness and responsiveness, derives comfort and pleasure from her family, and the benefits of continued life and prospect of return home outweigh the burdens. The presumption in favour of prolonging life, religious and cultural context, and evidence of awareness were given strong weight. The application for declarations to withdraw life sustaining treatment was not justified on the facts.
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Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children v Braqi & Ors [2024] EWHC 2910 (Fam) (15 November 2024)
The High Court held that it was in Ayden Braqi’s best interests to withdraw invasive ventilation and other life-sustaining treatment because the burdens outweighed the benefits.
The burdens of NR’s conditions and invasive treatments far outweigh any benefits; continued life sustaining treatment is futile and contrary to NR’s best interests. The presumption in favour of preserving life is displaced. It is lawful and in NR’s best interests for invasive ventilation and other life sustaining treatment to be discontinued.
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It is not in K's best interests to undergo a tracheostomy. The burdens and distress of the intervention, including the need for ongoing sedation or restraint and the lack of meaningful benefit or quality of life, outweigh the limited extension of life it would provide. Extubation and palliative care is in K's best interests.
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The court is not satisfied, on the evidence before it, that it is in C’s best interests to withdraw life-sustaining treatment at this stage. Given the complexity, uniqueness of C’s condition, and the absence of independent expert evidence from a paediatric intensivist, the application for declarations is adjourned pending further expert evidence. The court emphasises the need for the highest degree of scrutiny before making a final decision that may result in the end of a child’s life.
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Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust v Gregory & Ors (Rev1) [2023] EWHC 2556 (Fam) (13 October 2023)
The High Court held that invasive life-sustaining treatment for Indi Gregory should be withdrawn because ongoing treatment caused pain and offered no meaningful benefit.
The court held that continuing mechanical ventilation was not in Kwame’s best interests and permitted withdrawal and palliative care.
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