I wish to respond to Marc Block’s article (perspectives November 19) where he uses the term ‘acopia’ to describe an ‘inability to cope’. Acopia is a town in Peru and the name of a company, but it is not a scientific term - nursing, medical or otherwise. The term is not used to describe a newborn or someone who is unconscious. It should not be used to describe people. ‘Acopia’ is not used in a complimentary way, it is slang. This term has no professional purpose and no attempts should be made to legitimise its use.