Alas, it is the judge's decision to make.
To me, it is not a utilitarian case, but one of the rights of the child. Parental rights do not trump those, and should not.
The case, which the judge has accepted, is that the child's current condition is unsustainable and intolerable. And the parents agree with that. They want to try this experimental treatment. His doctors (and indeed the doctor who is looking to employ the treatment) say that while it might help the underlying condition, one of the main effects will not be reversed - namely the brain damage. If that is the case, then traveling to the US for the treatment, going through the treatment and waiting for the outcome may well give us more knowledge about whether the treatment works, but it would not "cure" him, or improve his quality of life.
Now, it could be that the treatment does work and that there is some reversal in the brain damage. But it sounds like a big gamble.
Actually, the utilitarian argument would be to let the treatment take place. He's likely to not be any better at the end of it, still brain damaged to the point of having a terrible quality of life, but we might get some useful data from the science.
To me, it is not a utilitarian case, but one of the rights of the child. Parental rights do not trump those, and should not.
The case, which the judge has accepted, is that the child's current condition is unsustainable and intolerable. And the parents agree with that. They want to try this experimental treatment. His doctors (and indeed the doctor who is looking to employ the treatment) say that while it might help the underlying condition, one of the main effects will not be reversed - namely the brain damage. If that is the case, then traveling to the US for the treatment, going through the treatment and waiting for the outcome may well give us more knowledge about whether the treatment works, but it would not "cure" him, or improve his quality of life.
Now, it could be that the treatment does work and that there is some reversal in the brain damage. But it sounds like a big gamble.
Actually, the utilitarian argument would be to let the treatment take place. He's likely to not be any better at the end of it, still brain damaged to the point of having a terrible quality of life, but we might get some useful data from the science.