The Australian Health Ethics Committee (AHEC) established a Working Party in 2005 to develop guidelines for the care of people diagnosed with post-coma unresponsiveness and people in a minimally responsive state.
Release of the guidelines
The Guidelines were officially launched on 19 June 2008, and are now available to download below. Hard copies can be ordered by phoning National Mailing and Marketing on 02 6269 1000.
View publication
- Ethical Guidelines for the Care of People in Post-Coma Unresponsiveness (Vegetative State) or a Minimally Responsive State
- A Guide for Families and Carers of People with Profound Brain Damage
Background Information
On 15 May 2000, the New South Wales Health Department wrote to the Department of Health and Ageing seeking assistance from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) in the development of guidelines on the diagnosis of persistent vegetative state (now called post-coma unresponsiveness [PCU]).
NHMRC accepted the task as a two-stage joint project to be undertaken jointly by the previous Health Advisory Committee (HAC) and the Australian Health Ethics Committee (AHEC). In the first stage HAC, through a public consultation process, developed an Information Paper covering the appropriate diagnosis of PCU.
Post-Coma Unresponsiveness ( Vegetative State): A Clinical Framework for Diagnosis, was endorsed by Council in December 2003 and included a brief section on continuing care.
Following the release of this document, AHEC undertook additional guidelines on the ethical care of people in PCU or a minimally responsive state. Draft guidelines were released for public consultation in July 2007, and were circulated widely to identified stakeholders as well as being advertised nationally in newspapers and professional journals. The guidelines were revised in light of comments received, and final documents released in June 2008.
Post-Coma Unresponsiveness Working Committee Membership
|
Dr Nicholas Tonti-Filippini |
Chair / AHEC Member |
|
Reverend Prof John Morgan |
Religious / ethics expertise |
|
Ms Margaret Bramwell |
Social Worker |
|
Ms Diane Chamberlain |
Nurse (Critical Care) |
|
Mr Julian Gardner |
Guardian |
|
Dr Peter Greenberg |
Physician |
|
Ms Michele Kosky |
Consumer representative |
|
Dr William Silvester |
Intensive care |
|
Assoc Prof John Watson |
Neurologist |
|
Ms Adelle Whalan |
Nurse (General Care) |
|
A/Prof John Olver |
Rehabilitation |
|
Rev. Dr. Gerald Gleeson |
AHEC Member |
|
Dr Mark Deuble |
Palliative Care specialist |
Further information
For more information please contact the Project Officer:
|
Postal address |
Project Officer – Post-Coma Unresponsiveness |
|
Email address |
|
|
Telephone |
(02) 6217 9070 |