Objections: Article misleading about 'brain death'

Your article Nov. 23 "Hector Camacho pursued wild life with reckless abandon" described the former boxer as being declared brain dead but "clinging to life" (USATODAY.com).

This is impossible. Brain death is a clinical diagnosis. There is no chance for recovery. Camacho, who was shot in the head Nov. 20 in Puerto Rico, was not clinging to life because there was no life to cling to (later, doctors removed life support and declared him dead).

As a critical care physician, I deal with this situation often, and it can be very difficult for families to understand and accept the concept of brain death. They see their loved one's chest rise and heart beat on a monitor.

However, this is entirely due to a ventilator and medications.

These supplemental measures are kept in place to allow families to say their goodbyes and have time to make organ donation decisions, but they no longer represent "life support" as the patient has been clinically declared dead.

The article unfortunately will add to the confusion family members and friends face during this extremely difficult time.

Kelly A. Schiers, D.O.; Haddon Township, N.J.