BRAIN DEATH SYMPOSIUM

Integrity in the Concept and Determination of Brain Death: Recent Challenges in Medicine, Law, and Ethics

Held February 27-28, 2025, Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America, Washington, DC.

Organized by The National Catholic Bioethics Center, The Center for Law and the Human Person at The Catholic University of America, and The Edmund D. Pellegrino Center for Clinical Bioethics at Georgetown University 

This Symposium―organized after the issuance of updated guidelines by the American Academy of Neurology et al. in October 2023 following an unsuccessful effort to revise the Uniform Determination of Death Act (UDDA)―covered several key topics:

  • Session 1: The validity of the concept of brain death; that is, how/can we ensure, with moral certitude, that patients determined to be dead by neurologic criteria are dead according to the standards of a sound Christian anthropology?

  • Session 2: Do the 2023 AAN et al. Guidelines accurately and reliably guide physicians to determine brain death?; how/can testing protocols for brain death be improved to accurately, consistently, and efficiently identify which patients are dead by neurologic criteria and which are not?

  • Session 3: Key related ethical issues, including (A) whether apnea testing is subject to informed consent; (B) what ethical challenges and opportunities exist for nurses involved in caring for patients near or after a determination of brain death; and (C) the validity of conscientious objection to determination of brain death by individuals and institutions.

  • Session 4: Issues in Law and Regulation, including the current status of state laws on the determination of brain death.

  • Session 5: Dialogue and Discussion: Is there currently common ground on issues in Sessions 1 and 2? If not, can find common ground be found, and how? For issues in Session 3, are improvements in hospital policies, protocols, and educational programs needed? If so, what would constitute improvements and who will supply them? For issues in Session 4, what improvements in law, regulation, or legal advocacy will best protect all of the profound moral goods at stake in this area?

The Symposium was designed to consider different points of view fairly, to foster robust dialogue among speakers, and to achieve practical results.

Videos of presentations for each of the five sessions are listed below.

Welcome | John F. Brehany

 

 

Session 1: The Validity of the Concept of Brain Death

Brain Death Is Consistent with a Sound Anthropology | Daniel Sulmasy

Brain Death Is Not Consistent with a Sound Anthropology | Michael Accad

Interaction on Concept of Brain Death

Session 1 Q&A and Discussion

 

Session 2: The Validity of AAN et al.’s 2023 Guidelines

The AAN 2023 Guidelines Should Be Upheld | Allen Aksamit

 

The AAN 2023 Guidelines Should Be Improved | Christopher DeCock

The Need for Prospective Data to Inform Thinking about Brain Death | Carlo Tornatore

The AAN 2023 Guidelines Cannot Be Accepted | Heidi Klessig

Session 2 Q&A and Discussion

Session 2 Debate and Interaction

 
 

Session 3: Related Ethical Issues in the Determination of Brain Death

Is Informed Consent Required for Apnea Testing | Allen Roberts

Key Challenges & Opportunities for Nursing Practice and Education | Sarah Vittone and DiAnn Ecret

Rights Responsibilities & Tasks for Conscientious | Charlie Camosy and Jason Eberl

 
 

Sessions 4: Issues in Law, Regulation, and Ethics

 

Reviewing State Law and the Importance of Legal Philosophy | Nikolas Nikas

Issues in Law, Regulation, and Ethics | James Bopp

 
 

Sessions 5: Dialogue and Discussion

 

Final Q&A and Discussion

Identifying Common Ground and Next Steps

 
 

For more information about the event, click this link — https://braindeathintegritysymposium.com