What happens to retained materials? The report remains with the Office of Retained and whole organs are stored in the Chief and is not public preservative for three years, and then are destroyed information. By law, it can only be obtained from State of Connecticut in a dedicated to and designed the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and is Office of the Chief Medical Examiner especially for human tissue. Samples of blood available only to specific people or institutions and other fluids are destroyed one year after defined by regulations. Such parties include: completion of the report. Information • Next of kin (or those with written permission) about retention and disposal is recorded in the • Lawyers working with either side in criminal or toxicology report as well as in the autopsy report. civil matters involving the • Physicians who cared for the deceased Sometimes, at the request of lawyers involved in • Insurance carriers lengthy legal proceedings, tissue is retained for • Government agencies or servants who need a longer period of time. And on rare occasion the report to exercise their lawful duties, such as: families have asked that retained tissue be returned federal, state and municipal police departments; to the Director for . The Office of OSHA; Child Protection agencies; regulatory the Chief Medical Examiner does everything agencies like the Office of the Child Advocate. in its power to comply with such requests. There are two major exceptions: Frequently Asked What should you know about 1. Autopsy reports are accessible to the documents and autopsy reports? public via the Freedom of Information Commission Questions The is not a complete document (FOIC) if the person died while in custody of the until the files it with the Registrar State (usually at a prison or psychiatric facility). of Vital Statistics in the town in which the person was pronounced dead (called the town of death). 2. If an autopsy report is admitted into The original document stays in the Registrar s office evidence during a criminal or civil trial, it may be forever. The Funeral Director usually provides a available to the public at large through the court. copy for the family, but anyone may obtain copies directly from the Registrar's office in the town of Does the OCME charge for its services? death. Only the Registrar of Vital statistics may There is no charge to families for an autopsy. The release a copy of the death certificate (the OCME OCME charges fees for copies of autopsy reports James R. Gill, M.D. cannot release a copy of the death certificate). (currently $2.00 per page) and for Chief Medical Examiner certification ($150.00). The death certificate is public information. 11 Shuttle Road Farmington, CT 06032 In order to comply with the law, the Office How is the OCME involved with ? of the Chief Medical Examiner releases By law, the OCME must inquire about all information on the death certificate to the (860) 679-3980 cremations done in Connecticut. This may include 1-800-842-8820 toll free media only when formally asked to do so. contacting the family, physician, and/or examining FAX (860) 679-1257 the body. A fee of $150.00, collected by the Funeral Director, goes to the State's general fund. The Funeral Director handles this process. Website http://www.state.ct.us/ocme Frequently Asked Questions How do Forensic Pathologists perform ? Why does the death certificate say The autopsy is done under the highest standards of "Pendingfurther studies"? What is an autopsy? medical professionalism, similar to what you would In some investigations, additional testing (e.g., An autopsy is a medical examination of a body expect from an examination in a doctors office or toxicology testing) or investigation is required for after death. It is performed by a pathologist, a of surgery in an operating room. It includes two death certification. In order not to delay funeral person specially trained in such procedures, and is phases—investigation of the history/circumstances arrangements, the OCME will issue a "pending" usually assisted by a specially trained technician. and the examination of the body both externally death certificate. This allows the family to proceed and internally. with burial or cremation. The "pending" death What is a pathologist? certificate is a proof of death and may be used for is the branch of which studies During the external exam, the pathologist examines certain estate issues. Some insurance companies the causes of all human . Pathologists are the outside of the body as it is received, looking may not issue death benefits without a final death specialists for doctors because rather than for evidence of or disease. Photographs certificate. In order to help expedite the payment of treating patients, they study things from are taken for identification purposes and insurance benefits to the family, once the pending patients to determine what is wrong, and relay documentation. death certificate is finalized, the OCME can, at information to clinical physicians who decide the request of the family, contact the insurance how to treat the patients disease or injury. During the internal exam, the body is opened with surgical-type incisions and the internal organs company with the result. The OCME cannot send What is a Forensic Pathologist? (including the and ) are examined them a copy of the new death certificate but may tell is a subspecialty of pathology and dissected. In all autopsies, small samples of them the final and . Some which studies disease and injury that is of interest each are retained and preserved so that the insurance companies will accept this in place of the to the law— and that cause sudden, pathologist can perform later testing if needed. actual death certificate. unexpected, or violent death. Forensic Pathologists How does the autopsy affect a funeral and burial? must know about healthy organs and effective In rare instances, an entire organ, such as a brain or The Forensic Pathologists and technicians at the treatments in order to determine how someone heart may be retained for further diagnostic tests. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner are sensitive died. To become a Forensic Pathologist, a doctor These diagnostic tests are conducted after release of to needs and desires of Funeral Directors and their must first become a pathologist, then receive the body to the Funeral Director. The autopsy report clients. For that reason, the staff takes these steps special training and pass a certification exam. will state that this has been done. with respect to an autopsied body. Pathologists also remove samples of blood and What is a Medical Examiner? • All incisions are made so that an open-casket other fluids/tissues for further studies such as In Connecticut, a medical examiner is a board- funeral may be conducted. toxicological testing to look for alcohol, drugs, certified forensic pathologist who is charged with • The amount of tissue preserved and retained is or . If a drug is suspected to have caused the investigation and examination of persons dying small, usually less than one pound. or contributed to death, the death certificate may a sudden, unexpected, or violent death and with «Instances when an entire organ is retained are not be finalized until the toxicologic results are determining the cause and manner of the death. generally in 5-10% of all autopsies. completed. This typically takes between 1 -4 weeks. « Pathologists, specialists and laboratories What is the difference between During this time, the body may be released to the with a "pending" death certificate. indicate in their written report when tissue or a cause and manner of death? whole organ is retained. The is the disease and/or injury responsible for the death. An example would be After completing the autopsy, any material not or a stab . The manner of death retained for future examination is released with the depends upon the circumstances of death and the body to the Funeral Director. A written autopsy choices are: , , accidental, natural, report and Death Certificate are issued. therapeutic complication, or undetermined.