Abstract
The duration of survival cited for persons in a persistent vegetative state in the two-part review by the Multi-Society Task Force on PVS (May 26 and June 2 issues)1 may not reflect the actual chances of a patient's surviving with good care. Physiologically, patients with the locked-in syndrome do not differ much from patients in a persistent vegetative state. But because the consciousness of the former is intact, their care givers may treat them very differently.