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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 10 May 2000

Vol. 518 No. 6

Written Answers. - Post-Mortem Examinations.

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

307 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will introduce a system where medical schools and hospitals must provide training for medical and other staff on securing consent in respect of post-mortem examinations and in dealing with relatives' concerns over tissue or organ retention. [12502/00]

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

346 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if hospitals transferred organs to other hospitals, both in Ireland and the UK; and if this will be considered by the inquiry into post-mortem practices and organ retention. [13042/00]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 307 and 346 together.

The professional body responsible for standards and practices in pathology in Ireland, the faculty of pathology, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, has circulated guidelines which cover consent arrangements for post-mortem examination and, in particular, the retention of tissue-organs for further diagnosis, teaching and research. The faculty has recommended to its fellows that specific consent for retention of tissue for such purposes be sought for all post-mortem examinations. The faculty considers that it is essential to be explicit in relation to this issue and the guidelines have been issued to all members of the faculty.

The chief medical officer of my Department wrote to the chief executive officer of each health agency on 9 December 1999, asking them to ensure that a policy of informed consent by next of kin to the carrying out of a post-mortem and retention of tissue-organs operates in each health agency.

I am confident that the guidelines of the faculty of pathology, which will ensure that tissue and organs will only be used for diagnostic, treatment and research purposes when explicit consent has been obtained from next of kin, will form the basis for best practice in this area.

The Deputy will be aware that on 9 February 2000 I announced my intention to hold an inquiry into post-mortem examination policy, practice and procedure in the State and that on 4 April 2000 I outlined the details of the inquiry to be held. The inquiry will be non-statutory and will be conducted in two phases. The first phase will be chaired by an eminent senior counsel who will present me with a report of the inquiry's findings within six months.

On receipt of this report I will then table a motion that the report be presented to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children. The committee, on considering the report, will come to its own conclusions having regard to the terms of reference of the inquiry, holding a public hearing and calling witnesses as appropriate.

I understand that it is an established practice among hospitals to transfer organs to other hospitals' laboratories, both in Ireland and the UK. This most commonly arises where a second opinion is required or when technical or professional expertise available in a different institution is required.

The terms of reference of the inquiry provide for a review of post-mortem examination policy, practice and procedure and therefore any issues in relation to the transfer of organs to other medical institutions may be reviewed.

The issue of training medical and other staff in securing consent for non-coroner post-mortem examinations will be considered in the context of the recommendations in the forthcoming inquiry's report.

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