Death determined by neurological criteria: the next steps

Excerpt

Death has important medical, legal and societal implications making it imperative that its determination is accurate, reliable and certain. Despite it being more than 40 years since the concept of ‘brain death’ was first introduced into clinical practice, many of the controversies that surround the determination of death by neurological criteria (DNC), a more focused and accurate description of the process, have not been settled and present an opportunity for future research and education to clarify outstanding issues in order to reduce professional and public disquiet [1]. While the philosophical and religious issues that surround the determination of DNC in some cultures will continue to generate debate, there has been limited success in resolving scientifically more pragmatic issues including the substantial international variation in DNC definitions, and the equivalence of DNC with an individual’s biological death. …