Vegetative and Minimally Conscious States
A POSTnote discussing the medical, legal and ethical challenges associated with the care of patients in vegetative and minimally conscious states.
Community careDeathDiseasesHealth financeHealth servicesHealth staff and professionsMedical ethicsMedicineScience
Briefing
Medical advances mean that increasing numbers of people survive trauma, stroke, periods of low oxygenation and severe brain infections. Some, however, are left with substantially reduced consciousness for months to years. This paper discusses the medical, legal and ethical challenges associated with the care of patients in vegetative and minimally conscious states.
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