The child and his mother outside the High Court with Liz Gunn (right) and lawyer Sue Grey (left). Photo / Alex Burton
The child and his mother outside the High Court with Liz Gunn (right) and lawyer Sue Grey (left). Photo / Alex Burton
Parents refusing to use vaccinated blood for their gravely ill baby have said they are desperate for their child to be operated on, but claim they need “safe blood”.
The case, which had a preliminary High Court hearing on Wednesday, came after Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand filedan application under the Care of Children Act seeking guardianship to be transferred from his parents to the court so consent could be given to use donated blood in the required open-heart surgery.
The boy has severe pulmonary valve stenosis, a condition described by the New Zealand Heart Foundation as one that could stop a heart from effectively pumping blood.
Today on the Herald’s In the Loop podcasts co-hosts Katie Harris and Aaron Dahmen unpack the case and what experts believe needs to take place - including why parents can’t just donate their own blood.
Later in the episode the review into the death of 5-year-old Malachi Subecz (6.45), what Kiwis really think about 16-year-olds voting (13.10), China’s mass protests (17.50) and the Balenciaga catalogue controversy (27.20).
