Where do we draw the line between life and death?

Thursday, September 10, 2020 - 23:30 in Psychology & Sociology

You’d think that it would be simple to determine if someone is dead. But making the call can be fraught, especially when there are cultural, religious and legal definitions of death that conflict with the science. The invention of ventilators and other advanced care has further complicated the definition of brain death, making it possible for a person without brain function to have a heartbeat and be breathing. “It’s a strange thing to have to accept that a person who looks alive is actually brain-dead,” Science News neuroscience writer Laura Sanders told me. “That relatively recent possibility opened the door for confusion.” In this issue, Sanders reports on a new international effort to define brain death. Clinicians from around the world reviewed the existing data, which are slimmer than you might think, and then outlined a set of steps to take before declaring someone brain-dead. The guidelines are a big improvement, but...

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