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Brain Death and Disorders of Consciousness pp 43–49Cite as

“Brain Death” is not Death

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Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 550))

Abstract

We draw attention to differences and difficulties in language and in concepts between “brain death” and true death that was published 24 years ago.1 We also focus on failure to utilize the scientific method, sound reasoning, and available medical technology in the determination of one of the two most important states known to man: death. The other condition, life,is obviously related because of the interdependence of the two conditions. Life and true death cannot and do not exist at the same time in the same person.

In the past: Member International Society for Heart Transplantation; Chairman Board of Governors, American College of Cardiology and Member Task Force on Clinical Research, American College of Cardiology.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical College of Ohio, 2600 Navarre Ave., Oregon, OH, 43616, USA

    Paul A. Byrne MD FAAP (Director, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics)

  2. Dept. of Pediatrics and Neonatology, St. Charles Mercy Hospital, USA

    Paul A. Byrne MD FAAP (Director, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics)

  3. University of Nebraska School of Medicine, Lincoln, NE, USA

    Walt F. Weaver MD FACC (Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine)

Authors
  1. Paul A. Byrne MD FAAP
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  2. Walt F. Weaver MD FACC
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Havana, Cuba

    Calixto Machado

  2. David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA

    D. Alan Shewmon

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© 2004 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Byrne, P.A., Weaver, W.F. (2004). “Brain Death” is not Death. In: Machado, C., Shewmon, D.A. (eds) Brain Death and Disorders of Consciousness. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 550. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-306-48526-8_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-306-48526-8_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-0976-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-306-48526-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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