Vital Role of Medical Examiners and Coroners in Organ Transplantation

American Journal of Transplantation

Volumn 4, Issue 2, 2004, Pages 160-168

  Shafer, Teresa J ^a   Schkade, Lawrence L ^b   Evans, Roger W ^c   O'Connor, Kevin J ^d   Reitsma, William ^e  

^a LifeGift Organ Donation Center   (United States)

^b UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON   (United States)

^c Dr SW ^*  (United States)

^d New England Organ Bank   (United States)

^e NJ Organ and Tissue Sharing Netwk   (United States)

Author keywords

Coroner; Justice of the peace; ME denial; ME C denial; Medical examiner; Organ donation; Organ refusal; Organ transplatantion; Transplant legislation

Indexed keywords

CAUSE OF DEATH; CORONER; DENIAL; HUMAN; LAW; MEDICAL SOCIETY; METHODOLOGY; ORGAN DONOR; ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION; PREDICTION; PRIORITY JOURNAL; RECIPIENT; SHORT SURVEY;

CADAVER; CORONERS AND MEDICAL EXAMINERS; HUMANS; PATIENT SELECTION; TISSUE AND ORGAN PROCUREMENT; TISSUE DONORS; UNITED STATES;

EID: 1342304222     PISSN: 16006135     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1046/j.1600-6143.2003.00327.x     Document Type: Short Survey

References (38)

1. Evans RW. Coming to terms with reality: why xenotransplantation is a necessity. In: Platt JL (ed.): Xenotransplantation. Washington, DC: ASM Press, Inc., 2001: 29-51.
2. Jason D. The role of the medical examiner/coroner in organ and tissue procurement for transplantation. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 1994 2001; 15: 192-202.
3. Shafer TJ, Schkade LL, Warner HE et al. The impact of medical examiner/coroner practices on organ recovery in the United States. JAMA 1994; 272: 1607-1613.
4. Voelker R. Can forensic medicine and organ donation coexist for the public good? JAMA 1994; 271: 891-892.
5. Warren JDC. medical examiner, WRTC dispute may trigger federal investigation. Transplant News 1993; 3: 1-2.
6. Carter JM. Letter to the editor. Reform organ-tissue transplantation. J Natl Med Assoc 1994; 86: 647,666,685.
7. Hanzlick R. Letter to the editor. JAMA 1995; 273: 1578.
8. Shafer T. In Reply. JAMA 1995; 273: 1579.
9. Chinnock RE, Bailey LL. Letter to the editor. JAMA 1995; 273: 1578.
10. Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Medical examiners limiting organ use. 1994 November 23.
11. New Orleans Times Picayune. Some organs withheld for no good reason. New Orleans Edition. 1994 November 24.
12. Sturner WQ. Can baby organs be donated in all forensic cases? Proposed guidelines for organ donation from infants under medical examiner jurisdiction. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 1995; 16: 215-218.
13. Associated Press (Peoria Illinois). Doctors seek to harvest organs of crime victims. Mattoon Journal Gazzette. 1999 February 20.
14. Zugibe FT, Costello J, Breithaupt M, Segelbacher J. Model organ description protocols for completion by transplant surgeons using organs procured from medical examiner cases. J Transpl Coord 1999; 9: 73-80.
15. Vaughn K. Battle looms over organ donations. Rocky Mountain News. 2000 April 17.
16. Jaynes C, Springer JW. Evaluating a successful coroner protocol. J Transpl Coord 1996; 6: 28-31.
17. Kramer JL. Letter to the editor. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 1995; 16: 257.
18. Lantz PE, Jason D, Davis GJ. Letter to the editor. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 1995; 16: 257-259.
19. Jaynes C. In reply. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 1995; 16: 259-260.
20. Strama BT, Burling-Hatcher S, Shafer TJ. Criminal Investigations and Prosecutions Not Adversely Affected by Organ Donation. A Case Law Review. Newsletter of Medicine and Law Committee. Tort and Insurance Practice Section. American Bar Association. 1994: 15-21.
21. Community Cable Television. Tarrant Topics: Dr. Nizam Peerwani, Chief Medical Examiner, Tarrant County, TX, 1993 December 8.
22. Donoghue ER, Lifschultz BD. Every Organ Every Time. Could We Do It? Special Session - Organ and Tissue Donation and Effective Death Investigations: Tensions and Resolutions. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the National Association of Medical Examiners, November 4; Albuquerque, New Mexico.
23. Dixon DS, Blackbourne BD. Letter to the editor. Clinical forensic medicine and organ transplantation. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 1987; 8: 88-91.
24. Annual Report of the U. S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network and the Scientific Registry for Transplant Recipients: Transplant Data, pp. 1991-2000. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Office of Sepcial Programs, Division of Transplantation, Rockville, MD; United Network for Organ Sharing, Richmond, VA; University Renal Research and Education Association, Ann Arbor, MI: 2001.
25. Goldstein B, Shafer TJ, Greer D, Stephens BG. Medical examiner/coroner denial for organ donation in brain-dead victims of child abuse: controversies and solutions. Clin Intensive Care 1997; 8: 136-141.
26. N.Y. County Law §674-a (McKinney 1977).
27. Tenn. Code Ann. §38-7-108 (2002).
28. N.J. Stat. Ann. §52: 17B-88.8 (2002).
29. Tex. Health & Safety Code Ann. §693.002 (Vernon Suppl. 2003).
30. Interim report, Recommendations and Appendices 2003: DHHS Secretary's Advisory Committee on Organ Transplantation (ACOT). ACOT authorized by section 121.12 of the Amended Final Rule of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) (42 CFR Part 121).
31. California State Legislature Concurrence in Senate Amendments AB 777 (Dutton). As amended July 15, 2003. As passed ASM Floor 5/29/2003: Senate 7/21/2003.
32. Donoghue ER. Organ and tissue problem and solutions. Every organ, every time, could we do it? Annual Meeting of the North American Transplant Coordinators Organization, Orlando, FL, 2000 August 6-9.
33. Texas State Legislature 78th Regular Session SB, 1225 (Nelson). As passed by Senate 4/25/2003, House 5/28/2003.
34. Hanzlick R, Combs D. Medical examiner and coroner systems. JAMA 1998; 279: 870-874.
35. Hanzlick R. Coroner training needs: a numerical and geographic analysis. JAMA 1996; 276: 1775-1778.
36. Adams V, Beaver T, Coburn M, et al. Practice Guidelines for Florida Medical Examiners; Section 1: Jurisdiction and Anatomical Gifts. Draft. 2003 May 15; Ocala, Florida, 2003 May 15.
37. Shafer TJ, Schkade LL, Siminoff LA, Mahoney TA. Ethical analysis of organ recovery denials by medical examiners, coroners, and justices of the peace. J Transpl Coord 1999; 9: 232-249.
38. Organ Procurement Transplant Network. Death removals by age group by year. Waiting list additions age by listing year. Transplants in the U. S. by recipient age. Available at: http://www.optn.org. Accessed February 16 2003.