Headshot of Prof. Thaddeus Pope

Wall Street Journal: “Doctors and Lawyers Debate Meaning of Death as Families Challenge Practices”

Author
Amy Dockser Marcus

The Uniform Law Commission is assessing possible changes to the Uniform Determination of Death Act. The review process focuses on the determination of death by neurologic criteria, or “brain death”, and is prompted, in part, by work of Thaddeus Pope, JD, PhD, HEC-C and colleagues. “Brain death is a legal designation in all 50 states. How brain death is determined, which tests are used and the type of physician qualified to make the determination can vary by state, said Thaddeus Mason Pope….” Professor Pope and colleagues recommend “that the Uniform Determination of Death Act clearly specify the medical standards to use when evaluating for death by neurologic criteria….” He notes that the current system for organ transplantation heavily depends on the determination of death by neurologic criteria.

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