Table 3.

Main ethical challenges resulting from the survey

Ethical challenge

Limited implementation of multimodal diagnosis due to lack of technology, lack of skilled personnel, and prohibitive costs, among other things

Balancing a precautionary approach about pain perception by patients with DoCs and its treatment, and the need for avoiding the risk of impacting ethically relevant capacities (e.g., autonomy and self-determination) due to analgesic treatment

Safeguarding a sufficient involvement of patients’ representatives despite the restrictions imposed by COVID-19 pandemics