EthicsLab Essentials

Brain Death: A Foundational Yet Emotional Ethical Concept

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Brain death is a fundamental ethical topic that is complex and often fraught with emotion. As ethics committees are faced with considerations involving brain death, these cases are often those that stick with professionals the most. Our lead contributor in this episode Becket Gremmels, System Director of Ethics at CHRISTUS Health in Irving TX is in conversation with two nationally recognized ethicists who explore the complexities and challenges surrounding this foundational ethical concept.

Our guests in this episode include:

  • Dr. Alexander M. Capron, University Professor, Vice Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs, Scott H. Bice Chair in Healthcare Law, Policy and Ethics, Professor of Law and Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, Co-Director, Pacific Center for Health Policy and Ethics at the University of Southern California
  • Dr. Michael Rubin, neurointensivist and clinical ethicist in the department of neurology and neurotherapeutics in the Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute at the UT Southwestern Medical Center

    • Sessions are monitored on a monthly basis by CME office and content confirmed to be evidence based and without bias. Secondly, the CME Program Director and CME Coordinator reviewed and approved all material prior to the educational activity being approved to confirm that the educational activity was evidenced based. Peer reviewed journals and other literature are used, as applicable during discussions.

    References for Further Study:

    • Capron, Alexander M. “Beecher Dépassé: Fifty Years of Determining Death, Legally.” Hastings Center Report 48 (2018): S14-S18
    • Russell, J. A., Epstein, L. G., Greer, D. M., Kirschen, M., Rubin, M. A., & Lewis, A. (2019). Brain death, the determination of brain death, and member guidance for brain death accommodation requests: AAN position statement. Neurology, 92(5), 228-232
    • Greer, D. M., Wang, H. H., Robinson, J. D., Varelas, P. N., Henderson, G. V., & Wijdicks, E. F. (2016). Variability of brain death policies in the United States. JAMA neurology, 73(2), 213-218
    • Kumar, L. (2016). Brain death and care of the organ donor. Journal of anaesthesiology, clinical pharmacology, 32(2), 146
    • Lewis, A., Bernat, J. L., Blosser, S., Bonnie, R. J., Epstein, L. G., Hutchins, J., … & Wijdicks, E. F. (2018). An interdisciplinary response to contemporary concerns about brain death determination. Neurology, 90(9), 423-426
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