London (AFP) – The parents of terminally ill British boy Alfie Evans lost their court appeal Wednesday against a ruling preventing them from taking their son, who suffers from a rare neurological disease, to Rome for treatment.

Three judges sitting in London’s Court of Appeal upheld the earlier ruling that the 23-month-old could not be taken to Italy to continue medical care.

“The respective appeals… must be refused,” said Judge Andrew McFarlane.