Reliance on Apnea test for brain-stem death certification questioned over need for additional medical tests

The Supreme Court has reserved its judgment in a petition questioning the procedure followed to declare patients brain-stem dead, particularly the reliance on the Apnea test. The petition alleges that patients may be incorrectly declared brain-stem dead to facilitate organ transplantation. He has argued that the Apnea test should not be the sole or primary basis for such a determination and that additional tests, including electroencephalography (EEG) and cerebral angiography, to assess the condition. The Supreme Court directed AIIMS, New Delhi, to constitute a three-member expert committee to review the protocols and recommend appropriate procedures.