Also see the separate article Coma. Previously, the term persistent vegetative state (PVS) was used to describe all patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness. PVS has become marked by ethical and medical dilemmas, often, if not always, requiring legal assistance.
Full Definition of AGENCY. 1. a: the office or function of an agent b: the relationship between a principal and that person's agent. 2. : the capacity, condition, or state of acting or of exerting power: operation.
A government or state agency, often an appointed commission, is a permanent or semi-permanent organization in the machinery of government that is responsible for the oversight and administration of specific functions, such as an intelligence agency. There is a notable variety of agency types.xamples of these agencies include the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury. Most federal agencies are created by Congress through statutes called  enabling acts  which define the scope of an agency's authority.