2020/12/01 by Brendan Parent, Angela Turi · 1 citation
Medicine · Psychology · #Organ Donation and Transplantation #Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues #Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health
paper · pdf · doi:10.1001/amajethics.2020.1055
openalex publication_date 2020/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Death's legal definition must be responsive to advances in technology, and it must delineate between life and death. But where to draw the line is difficult to determine. Death's current legal definition requires irreversible cessation of cardiorespiratory function or irreversible cessation of all brain function. But technology can often restore some brain functions without restoring consciousness, so brain death is often diagnosed without the irreversibility requirement being met. This article argues that the law should be updated to require permanent cessation, not irreversible cessation and that medicine should be transparent about what permanent means.