Dr. Sam Parnia
Sam Parnia, MD, PhD, Director of Resuscitation Research at Stony Brook University School of Medicine, speaks to the issue of death as a process, not a moment, and sheds light on 21st century medicine’s capabilities to increase resuscitation rates during an interview with Terry Gross, host of the syndicated program, “Fresh Air,” that aired on National Public Radio (NPR). The broadcast can be heard online here.
Gross interviewed him after reading his forthcoming book, Erasing Death: The Science that is Rewriting the Boundaries Between Life and Death, (HarperOne Publishers) scheduled to be on bookshelves on February 26.
Dr. Parnia is one of the world’s leading experts on the scientific study of death, the human mind-brain relationship, and near-death experiences. In addition to his work as a critical care physician and researcher at Stony Brook, Dr. Parnia directs the AWARE Study (AWAreness during REsuscitation). His groundbreaking research has been featured in media outlets nationally and worldwide.
“Contrary to popular belief, death is not a moment in time, such as when the heart stops beating, respiration ceases, or the brain stops functioning,” explains Dr. Parnia. “Death, rather, is a process—a process that can be interrupted well after it has begun.”
Dr. Parnia believes that hospitals around the nation can greatly improve resuscitation rates by using state-of-the-art medical and communication tools available to EMS services, physicians, and other healthcare professionals to support resuscitation efforts. He argues that universally implementing innovative techniques, such as drastically reducing the patient’s body temperature, will help to increase survival rates. Approximately half of the hospitals throughout the United States and Europe use body cooling techniques.
In Erasing Death, Dr Parnia presents cutting-edge research from the front line of critical care and resuscitation medicine that has enabled modern doctors to routinely reverse death, while also shedding light on the ultimate mystery — what happens to human consciousness during and after death. Parnia reveals how medical discoveries focused on saving lives have also raised the possibility that “consciousness” does not become annihilated immediately after death, as evidenced by the continuation of the human mind and psyche in the first few hours after death. Questions about the “self” and the “soul” that were once relegated to theology, philosophy, or even science fiction are now being examined afresh according to rigorous scientific research.
Dr. Parnia proposes and supports an intriguing notion that we are on the verge of discovering a new universal science of consciousness, which reveals the nature of the mind and a future where death is not the final defeat, but is in fact reversible.
Heard some but not all of the NPR interview broadcast.
It reminded me of a 72+ year old pre-conception memory that I have never shared and a pre-birth conversation experience.
I’d be willing to share the memory with Dr Parnia without opening a can of personal worms over a suppressed memory that is real and I have carried inside my entire life rather than ask my self into a twilight zone reaction experience.
I have NO mental or substance issues, I’m Not special,
I Don’t follow UFO’s or Big Foot or Para Normal and I’m not a B/S artist etc.
But I’ve always wondered and before I die I gotta ask someone who might someday be able answer;
WHY do I remember that?,
And how is that even possible at a developmental point where I had zero reference points?
Are are there others with similar experience?
I have also got memories of ‘coming here’ from somewhere else or having existed ‘before’so to speak. I’m quite certain about this.
I have experienced a similar experience. I want to tell Joe & Dr Parnia how brave they both are for unapologetically bringing this to the world. The View should have given you as much time as needed.
Agreed Merrie – DrParnia has so much more to share and his patient really needed more time to articulate his very emotional experience. I was pretty disappointed with the time given to him by the View. I think Parnia is being interviewed tonight on Coast to Coast tonight so hopefully he’ll have an opportunity to get into things a little bit more. I’ve read his new book and there are some interesting observations in it, but frankly I’m so much more interested in the verification of patients’ OBEs and there wasn’t really what I was hoping on that. However, it’s great to see Dr Parnia out there talking about NDEs (or ADEs as he says). Hopefully it will garner more participation from hospitals and other care centres so we can try to learn more about the mystery of NDSs.
In 1988 I had a near death experience during childbirth. It is difficult yo discuss with my husband because I think he does not want to talk about how close he came to losing me. I remember the beautiful light and a dak tunnel where a woman was talking to me. People were there I could not see. I remember knowing I was a place I was not ready to be in and said over and over that I needed to wake up I had to go back. When I was “back” the next time I went out this did not happen so I knw that the first time I was somewhere else. I also could hear the staff talking about me not having a blood pressue and my hear rate being fast. I heard them tell someone to get the code cart too.I know this happens and I do believe some choos to return like I did.
how can I reach Dr. Sam parmea? Ive made some.amazing discoveries.n his Line of work along with numerous theories. U may give my email out to anyone n scientific.community
It is very good, that the new cooling treatment allow to save more lifes.
But to play with words is no good scientific behaviour:
A) biological death means: death; death is not reversible
B) clinical death means: a person is still alive, but some body functions are severely disturbed. Without resuscitation treatment, death (biological death) will/might follow. Rescuscitation without damage of the brain is possible, as long as enough nutrients/oxygen will be delivered to the brain, e.g. by chest compression, to create artificial blood circulation.
Parnia is speaking of death, but in the meaning of clinical death. His mixing up the terms DEATH and CLINICAL DEATH, is then followed by his dramatic statement, that death can be survived.
And – it is not good for the reputation of a hospital, when we can read, that the staff does not really know to distinguish the diagnosis ´biological death´ with ´clinical death´ as we can read in Parnia´s books ´Erasing death´ and ´the Lazarus Effect´.
Near-Death Experiences can be explained completely as a recall of experiences from the memory and sometimes a virtual simulation which is produced by the brain (Out of body experiences). (a free read of the explanation model can be found with Google-search ["Immmortality Project" Pfeiffer] in the comments on Pfeiffers blog)
Dr. Parnia reports testimonies from young children who told of meeting family members they didn’t even know existed before their time. This could not be “recall” or “memory”. He also distinguishes between the the traditional definition of death (when the heart stops beating / no pulse / person stops breathing) and resusitation from that state that’s “not permanent until quite a bit afterwards.”