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Ethical Questions Surrounding Brain Death

This winter, two stories gained national attention regarding brain-dead pregnant women and their unborn children. One husband kept his wife on life support until the baby was born, while the other husband fought to take his wife off life support.

"For some people, it's hard to understand that the death of one organ means the death of that person."

Today on River to River, we discuss ethical questions in the emergency room. Host Ben Kieffer looks at these cases with medical professionals and with Iowans who have been through similar situations here in Iowa.

Today's guests include:

Dr. Lauris Kaldjian, physician ethicist and Director of the Program in Bioethics and Humanities at the University of Iowa Dr. Karl Thomas, Executive Vice Chair for Clinical Programs and Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Sue Witte, social worker at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, who also sits on the hospital's ethics committee Tiffini Brockway, Burlington resident and mother of Garrett Brockway, who passed away from a brain injury (You can find more information about the Brockway's foundation, at Garrett's Path)

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Ben Kieffer is the host of IPR's River to River