I agree. Which is why I questioned your (incorrect) statement, "the pills work on people in a PVS".
"The terms "brain dead" and "PVS" have medical and legal meaning."
Yes, and so do the terms "brain damaged", "severly brain damaged", "vegetative state", and "persistent vegetative state".
"A "brain-dead" person is dead. A person in a PVS is not."
Correct. But they do have things in common. Neither will recover. Both are on artificial life support. Neither has consciousness or ever will again.
And both are using valuable and precious hospital resources that can be better used to keep alive someone who has a chance at living.
From Lewis, A Latin Dictionary:
fetus (foet- ), ûs
I. Abstr., a bringing forth, bearing, dropping, hatching of young (rare but class.)
B. Transf., of plants, a bearing, producing
II. Concr., young, offspring, progeny, brood
2. Transf., of plants, fruit, produce: