Brain death revisited: the case for a national standard.
The concept of brain death--first defined decades ago--still presents medical, ethical, and legal challenges despite its widespread acceptance in clinical practice and in law. This article reviews the medicine, law, and ethics of brain death, including the current inconsistencies in brain death determinations, which a lack of standardized federal policy promotes, and argues that a standard brain death policy to be used by all hospitals in all states should be created.
Choi
Eun-Kyoung
EK
Charles Warren Fairbanks Center for Medical Ethics, Clarian Health, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Fredland
Valita
V
Zachodni
Carla
C
Lammers
J Eugene
JE
Bledsoe
Patricia
P
Helft
Paul R
PR
D001926:Brain Death / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016377:Organ Transplantation; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D014481:United States