The Question of Survival After Death-Reply

Near-death experiences occur frequently during grave physical illnesses and injuries, though the role of physiological changes in these experiences remains poorly understood. Some individuals have these experiences when they believe they are dying, even without serious illness or injury. Physicians who are more aware of near-death experiences could observe and report details from patients having them, which would improve understanding of the phenomenon.

Study at a glance

Abstract

In Reply.— Two reasons justify the publication of our article in a medical journal. First, the experiences to which we drew attention occur frequently (although not exclusively) during grave physical illnesses and injuries. The actual role of physiological changes in these experiences is still poorly understood. Some persons have them when they think they are going to die, even though they are not suffering from a serious illness or injury. This latter group of subjects (or patients) may not often be seen and examined by physicians; but the former group of patients—those with serious physical illnesses or injuries—will usually be examined by physicians. If physicians were more aware than most presently are of the kind of near-death experiences we described, they could observe and report details of patients having these experiences in a way that could greatly improve our understanding of them. Second, near-death experiences— whatever the best explanation may