Judge rules coma woman should be allowed to die

LONDON, Dec 6 (Reuters) A 53-year-old woman who has been in a coma for over three years should be allowed to die with dignity, Britain's top family judge said today.

He made the decision after a last attempt to revive the woman failed.

The Official Solicitor, who appears for those who cannot represent themselves, had asked for an attempt to treat her with the drug zolpidem -- a sleeping pill said to have beneficial effects on people in a permanent vegetative state (PVS).

But the President of the High Court Family Division Sir Mark Potter said there had been no improvement in the woman, identified only as J.

Her doctors will now be allowed to withdraw life support.

Her family had been concerned that if the drug had worked it could have made her aware of her condition and caused ''sadness and pain.'' She had been in a state of PVS since suffering a brain haemorrhage in August 2003.

The judge said that J had previously made it clear she would want to be allowed to die if she were in such a condition and that her family supported the move to withdraw life support.

Reuters BDP DB2050