One member of the Neurobioethics group, Michele Farisco, published an original article entitled, “The Ethical Pain: Detection and Management of Pain and Suffering in Disorders of Consciousness,” in the journal Neuroethics.
Abstract: The intriguing issue of pain and suffering in patients with disorders of consciousness (DOCs), particularly in Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome/Vegetative State (UWS/VS) and Minimally Conscious State (MCS), is assessed from a theoretical point of view, through an overview of recent neuroscientific literature, in order to sketch an ethical analysis. In conclusion, from a legal and ethical point of view, formal guidelines and a situationist ethicsare proposed in order to best manage the critical scientific uncertainty about pain and suffering in DOCs and ensure the best possible care for the patient.