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Rep. Giffords' Sedation Being Reduced

Doctors have reduced the amount of sedation they're giving Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), they just told reporters in Tucson.

During a very short news briefing, Dr. Peter Rhee, the trauma chief at University Medical Center, said it's important to remember that cases such as Giffords' -- who was shot in the head during Saturday's shooting rampage that left six people dead and another 13 recovering from gunshots -- can go through ups and downs as patients are treated.

"I'm happy to state that none of the downward events have occurred" in Giffords' case, he said.

And as doctors reduce the amount of sedation, "she's becoming more and more spontaneous all the time," Rhee added.

As of this hour, Rhee said, six people are still at the hospital being treated for injuries received when they were shot. One (Giffords) is in critical condition. Two are in serious condition. Three are in fair condition.

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Mark Memmott is NPR's supervising senior editor for Standards & Practices. In that role, he's a resource for NPR's journalists – helping them raise the right questions as they do their work and uphold the organization's standards.