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What to do when someone dies
Advances in medical science mean the question of ‘what is death’ has taken on a more technical aspect over recent decades.
When somebody dies their heart stops beating and the blood stops circulating. But the body can be kept artificially ventilated which means the blood may keep circulating even though the person has, technically, died.
In these circumstances, ‘death’ is diagnosed by brain stem tests. The tests are clear and must always be performed by two experienced doctors. If they identify ‘brain stem death’ they can declare the person dead.