One of the novel tools was a new diagnostic category, the minimally conscious state.
However subsequent tests indicated that she is in a "minimally conscious state" - on the edge of awareness.
Right now, the opposition is led by turf-conscious state insurance regulators, consumer groups, member-owned insurance companies and trade groups representing independent insurance agents.
It suggested 18 of those 44 were in a minimally conscious state the same error rate, around 40%, as Dr Andrews had found 13 years earlier in London.
The man involved in the study was badly beaten six years ago, leaving him severely brain injured and in a minimally conscious state, in which patients show intermittent signs of awareness.
BBC: The electrodes were placed at specific points in the brain
Minimally conscious state being a relatively new diagnosis, he says, it may be that some doctors are unfamiliar with its criteria, but that is all the more reason for deferring to the coma recovery scale.
This consists of more than 20 clinical tests and is reckoned not only to enable doctors to distinguish patients in a vegetative state from those with minimal consciousness, but also to identify those who were previously in a minimally conscious state but have emerged from it.
The law has been clarified and, going forward, in all such cases of patients who are in a minimally conscious state, the High Court does now have the power to decide on whether it is in that patient's best interests for treatment to continue, or whether the patient should be allowed to die naturally, with dignity.
While some may not like the change, most appreciate a more health-conscious slant to this year's state fair.
The trend seems to be most acute at state schools, where, in addition to budget conscious consumers cutting back on sports tickets, tight public budgets are squeezing revenues.
Mr Villegas, speaking on state television on Sunday, said that the president "is conscious, communicating with his family, his political team and the medical team treating him".
Insurance companies, for example, prefer a diagnosis of vegetative to one of minimally conscious, Dr Laureys says, because no expensive rehabilitation is required for those in a vegetative state.
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