Last week, much of the world was captivated by the birth of the newest royal baby, Louis Arthur Charles. But it was the fate of another British baby that demonstrated how precarious life has become for those deemed unworthy of living.

Alfie Evans was a terminally ill infant who became embroiled in a tragic court battle shortly after being diagnosed with a rare neurological condition. British medical experts argued that Alfie’s condition had deteriorated so much that the only humane thing to do was to take him off a ventilator and let him die.