In this case, the police are probably acting as agents of the coroner. If
they say not, then they could only have the samples with the consent of the
owner of the samples, or on the order of a judge, unless they are research
samples. it's a moot point, but in English law, the ownership may well vest
in the deceased's estate, although it is possible that he may have donated
them to the hospital.
Advice. Do not hand them over to the police before getting advice from your
trust's legal advisor and your defence organisation.... The coroner does
have a right to them if they go to investigating who the deceased was or how
he died.
Robert Forrest
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [log in to unmask]
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Stephen
> Davis
> Sent: 08 October 1999 16:30
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Ownership of samples
>
>
> Who has jurisdiction over samples taken during an earlier
> admission from a patient who subsequently dies? The samples were
> collected during an admission apparently unrelated to the
> incident in which the patient died; the samples have been
> requested by the police (not the Coroner) to see if there is a
> connection between the admission and the fatal incident..
>
> Are the samples under the jurisdiction of the coroner , the
> deceased's next-of-kin or can the police simply request the samples?
>
> Steve Davis
> Principal Biochemist
> Department of Clinical Biochemistry
> East Glamorgan General Hospital
> Church Village
> PONTYPRIDD
> Mid Glamorgan
> CF38 1AB
>
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