Notes
Another thought-provoking conversation from at :
“Is it okay to give psychedelics to someone in a vegetative state?”
It got me thinking about future applications of #neurotech and #braincomputerinterface technology.
“Is it okay to implant neurotechnology in someone in a vegetative state?”
This 2016 paper from Dr. Kathinka Evers, a Swedish Bioethicist describes the use of neurotechnology for diagnosing 1) minimally conscious state (MCS), 2) vegetative state (VS), and 3) coma.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4969702
And this 2021 paper by Dr. Brian Edlow et al explores various modalities and their potential risks: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8266715
Inspired by this conversation, here are five more questions through a #neurotech lens:
If there was a world where a brain implant, e.g. deep brain stimulation, #BCI, or similar technology could be used to revive people from those states, what are the ethics of doing so?
How does consent factor in? Whose consent? What is the will of the research team versus the family, caregiver, etc?
What are the ethics of risking patients revival, but with partial paralysis or limited cognitive function? Or, of somehow making things worse unintentionally?
Should non-invasive means, e.g. external stimulation, neuromod, ultrasound-enabled interventions into the brain, etc. be tried before surgical procedures?
What is the cost of this research, and what are the economics involved in ascertaining “value” of such treatments, e.g. does the patient’s age and “potential for future contributions to society” matter?
Thanks for another stimulating article. One of my favorite substacks - subscribe if you haven’t!
