Introduction

All over the world it has been accepted that the legal classification of death, and thus the actual death of a human being, is based on brain death. But one must take into account that the process of the clarification of neurological criteria is still ongoing. Medical, bioethical, psychological, and thanatopedagogical scholars debate in order to draw a precise line between the life and death of a human being.

Aim of the research

Due to the social importance of the thanatological topic, a survey was conducted to learn the opinions of specialist physicians on their understanding of human death in relation to the Polish legal and medical regulations in the area.

Material and methods

The study involved 109 specialist physicians employed in various medical centres in Poland. An original questionnaire prepared for this purpose was used to examine the understanding of human death in light of the legal and medical acts that came into force between 2007 and 2019.

Results and conclusions

The study reveals that 12.94% of specialist physicians feel that they can fully and correctly identify the basis for declaring a patient dead after diagnosing the irreversible cessation of brain function, while 57.80% of all respondents understand death in accordance with the legal acts currently in force in Poland. In addition, 72.48% of the study participants indicated that irreversible loss of consciousness is not adequate grounds for determining a patient’s death, while 56.89% felt that brain death is equal to the biological death of a human being.