The role of the pathologist in the investigation of iatrogenic deaths.

(a) The autopsy should be under the jurisdiction of the coroner, magistrate or other legal authority that authorises and request an autopsy. The very fact that there is the possibility of a non-natural cause of death makes the case reportable to the coroner. This is the duty of the clinicians, but sometimes they may not be very anxious to initiate a legal enquiry which may result in criticism, publicity or even a legal action against them. However, the pathologist should not agree to carry out such a case as a clinical "consent" autopsy, but advise the clinicians that they must report the death to the coroner. have been due to an error of clinical (b) Ideally, thepathologistpe$oming the autopsy judgement, which is not necessarily should not be a close colleague of the negligent clinicians who had care o f the deceased (d) the death may have been due to medical negligence.