He had the clinical picture of a typical vegetative patient and showed no spontaneous movements that looked meaningful.

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For families and medical staff it is often very difficult to assess whether a patient is vegetative or has some residual awareness and ability to communicate.

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This is a continuation of research published three years ago, when the team used the same technique to establish initial contact with a patient diagnosed as vegetative.

BBC: Vegetative state patients can respond to questions

Finally, they gave the instructions to a patient who had been diagnosed as being vegetative two years earlier.

ECONOMIST: Vegetative state

Claire Watson, appearing for the trust, said it was the unanimous view of clinicians and independent experts that the patient, from Greater Manchester, was in a persistent vegetative state.

BBC: Manchester

It does raise many ethical issues - for example - it is lawful to allow patients in a permanent vegetative state to die by withdrawing all treatment, but if a patient showed they could respond it would not be, even if they made it clear that was what they wanted.

BBC: Vegetative state patients can respond to questions

Giacino is leading a federally funded five-year, 180-patient study of an antiviral and Parkinson's disease drug called amantadine in minimally conscious and vegetative patients.

FORBES: Health