Brain Death to be Accepted in 2000

Patients suffering from brain death will be deemed legally dead in 2000. The Ministry of Heath and Welfare (MOHW) revealed on December 1 that the State Council passed a resolution to amend the related law. The MOHW plans to bring this bill to the National Assembly and get it passed.
The bill states that a patient will considered legally dead when there is no brain activity and this will be decided by a board which the MOHW will appoint. The bill also states that five prior conditions must exist including no possibility of recovery and the maintaining of life by a respirator. A further nine conditions including discontinuity of brain waves for more than 30 minutes should be satisfied.
Although it is not possible to confirm whether or not a brain-dead person agreed to the donating of body parts, the family can donate his or her internal organs. The family can refuse the donation, even if the brain-dead person explicitly agreed to the donation before. The bill also states that any person involved in illegal organ donations will be sentenced to more than two years of imprisonment.