Autopsy

Postmortem Examination

How To Prepare

When an autopsy is not required by law, permission from the deceased person's family is required before the autopsy is done. The laws governing who can give permission for an autopsy vary from state to state. Generally, a consent form must be signed in the presence of a designated witness. Some areas may allow witnessed phone consent instead.

Go to previous section	Go to top of page	Go to next section
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS	Last Updated: November 28, 2006
Medical Review:	Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Corinne L. Fligner, MD - Anatomic Pathology
© 1995-2008 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.