Impact of the Brain Death Ruling in Washington State

In a 1980 Washington State Supreme Court decision, brain death was recognized as a means of determining death, but the court declined to specify a procedural mechanism to be followed. According to a survey of hospitals in Washington, the decision has had little impact in the state, apparently due to...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Western journal of medicine 1984-04, Vol.140 (4), p.625-627
Main Authors: Tyler, Donald C., Robertson, William O.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bioethics
Brain Death
Critical Issues in Medicine
Data Collection
Hospitals
Humans
Jurisprudence
Washington
Withholding Treatment
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Summary:In a 1980 Washington State Supreme Court decision, brain death was recognized as a means of determining death, but the court declined to specify a procedural mechanism to be followed. According to a survey of hospitals in Washington, the decision has had little impact in the state, apparently due to the medical profession's unfamiliarity with it. As a result of the survey, we have identified problems of procedure and interaction with the legal system. A consensus of those contacted was that no formal, hospital-mandated definition of brain death is needed.
ISSN:0093-0415
1476-2978