Category Archives: pvs

Lisa Blumberg: Brain Injured Are Denied Life Sustaining Treatment Too Early

  A 2007 Not Dead Yet blog described “rush to judgment” cases where people who had sustained a major brain injury were denied life sustaining treatment before appropriate time had passed to determine if they could become conscious. It referred to an article co-authored by Dr. Joel Frader, now a member of the Northwestern Center … Continue reading Lisa Blumberg: Brain Injured Are Denied Life Sustaining Treatment Too Early

Three recommended reads: Bill Peace on “Ashley and Me,” L Syd M Johnson critque of Jacob Appel on PVS and April Michelle Herndon on the “Magic Pill” Question

I’m extremely ambivalent about the Hastings Center.  The interactions I have had with this bioethics entity have been both cordial – and very limited.  Periodically, the Center seems to take an interest in hearing something from disability advocates and activists, but after they’ve engaged in a small token effort, move on and appear to be … Continue reading Three recommended reads: Bill Peace on “Ashley and Me,” L Syd M Johnson critque of Jacob Appel on PVS and April Michelle Herndon on the “Magic Pill” Question

Art Caplan “Debunks” 23-year Misdiagnosis of PVS in Belgium, But Omits Some Details

Over the past week, there has been a lot of news coverage regarding the case of Rom Houben, a man in Belgium who was labeled as being in a persistent vegetative state.  He was severely injured in an auto accident in 1983, and since shortly after that has been regarded as being in a persistent … Continue reading Art Caplan “Debunks” 23-year Misdiagnosis of PVS in Belgium, But Omits Some Details