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Compare And Contrast Uniform Declaration Of Death Vs Medical Death

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Compare And Contrast Uniform Declaration Of Death Vs Medical Death
Vittoria Perugini
Professor Timberlake
English Composition
November 2, 2014
Legal Death Versus Medical Death New technological advances allow for patients to stay alive in situations that they normally could not survive. This causes an increasingly problematic conflict between medical and legal systems. The Uniform Declaration of Death Act allows for a somewhat reliable definition for death in both systems. However, some situations still challenge the universally accepted definition of death. Lia’s situation is a perfect example of how a medical definition of death conflicts with legal conditions. Lia’s complex medical situation showcases how death challenges both the medical and legal systems in America, making it very difficult to offer a concrete definition. The Uniform Declaration of Death Act recognizes two definitions for death, in which are universally accepted by both the medical and legal system. Death is defined by either the “irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions” or the “irreversible …show more content…
Because there are so many complicated situations, there will always be a varying factor in the matter. The Uniform Declaration of Death Act makes a generally acceptable definition for death in which the medical system strictly abides. However, because of advances in medical technology, patients in a vegetable state can be kept alive by the use of ventilation and feeding tubes. The legal system is constantly challenged by the definition of death because they must still pay for medical treatments even though the individual has permanent termination of all functions of the entire brain, including the brain stem. Lia’s situation perfectly highlights this battle between legal and medical systems. The issue on describing a perceptible definition for death will continuously exist as long as new advances in medicine
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