Table 1.

Summary of key prognostic variables for each case scenario

Applicable to all cases: Approximately 6 months to 18 months of age—‘an infant’. Hospitalised and reliant on mechanical ventilation and artificial nutrition and hydration (except for case 6). No hope of improvement from this level of disability. Likely survival at this level of disability for a few years if treatment continued. All described in the survey in lay language with more complete descriptions of the illness and its consequences for the infant.
Cases	Cognition	Suffering	Pleasure
Unaware: based on Alfie Evans	No cognition	No suffering	No pleasure
Possible Awareness: based on Charlie Gard	Possible awareness	Possible suffering	No pleasure
Minimal Cognition	Aware No interaction	Low suffering	Mild pleasures
Locked In: based on baby MB	Aware Cognitively intact but unable to communicate or interact due to paralysis	Medium suffering	Medium pleasures
Possible Relational Capacity	Aware Basic interaction Very basic relationships Small chance of future communication	Low suffering	Medium pleasures
Significant Burden: based on Charlotte Wyatt	Aware Severe cognitive impairment—basic interaction, no relationships or communication	Moderate-severe suffering	Mild pleasures

These are not intended to capture the full details of each case—the complete survey can be viewed in online supplementary appendix F.