Biomaterial Database

Ethical, legal and medical problems on the borderline between life and death. 1994

G Schewe, and S Ritz

Institut für Rechtsmedizin, Christian-Albrechts-Universität, Kiel, Germany.

'Brain death' appears to be almost a closed chapter in medical history. But it remains fascinating, particularly regarding future developments, how medical discoveries, moral dilemmas, ethics and law have merged and lead to a common consent on the principal medical, ethical and juristic positions. After a consideration of these questions, topical problems concerning the extent and the limits of medical responsibilities, especially with regard to euthanasia and the problems of a broad interpretation of brain death are discussed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007603	Jurisprudence	The science or philosophy of law. Also, the application of the principles of law and justice to health and medicine.	Litigation,Medical Jurisprudence,Constitutional Law,Court Decision,Law,Legal Aspects,Legal Obligations,Legal Status,State Interest,Aspect, Legal,Aspects, Legal,Constitutional Laws,Court Decisions,Decision, Court,Decisions, Court,Interest, State,Interests, State,Jurisprudence, Medical,Law, Constitutional,Laws,Laws, Constitutional,Legal Aspect,Legal Obligation,Litigations,Obligation, Legal,Obligations, Legal,State Interests,Status, Legal
D012151	Resuscitation	The restoration to life or consciousness of one apparently dead. (Dorland, 27th ed)	Resuscitations
D001926	Brain Death	A state of prolonged irreversible cessation of all brain activity, including lower brain stem function with the complete absence of voluntary movements, responses to stimuli, brain stem reflexes, and spontaneous respirations. Reversible conditions which mimic this clinical state (e.g., sedative overdose, hypothermia, etc.) are excluded prior to making the determination of brain death. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp348-9)	Brain Dead,Coma Depasse,Irreversible Coma,Brain Deads,Coma, Irreversible,Death, Brain
D004992	Ethics, Medical	The principles of professional conduct concerning the rights and duties of the physician, relations with patients and fellow practitioners, as well as actions of the physician in patient care and interpersonal relations with patient families.	Medical Ethics
D005065	Euthanasia	The act or practice of killing or allowing death from natural causes, for reasons of mercy, i.e., in order to release a person from incurable disease, intolerable suffering, or undignified death. (from Beauchamp and Walters, Contemporary Issues in Bioethics, 5th ed)	Mercy Killing,Killing, Mercy,Killings, Mercy,Mercy Killings
D005858	Germany	A country in central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark. The capital is Berlin.
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man