Belfast CJD sufferer no longer seen as terminally ill

A 20-year-old Belfast man appears to be winning his battle against variant CJD after undergoing experimental treatment over the past two years.

Jonathan Simms' father said his son was now in a stable condition in hospital and doctors no longer regarded him as terminally ill.

Don Simms had to take legal action in Britain to allow his son to undergo an experimental procedure under which drugs were injected directly into his brain.

His son, the longest-known survivor of vCJD, was diagnosed with the condition three years ago and was expected to die earlier this year before receiving the treatment.