NCJ Number
44092
Editor(s)
L A GOTTSCHALK,
F L MCGUIRE,
E C DINOVO,
H BIRCH,
J F HEISER
Date Published
1977
Length
159 pages
Annotation
PROCEDURES FOR CLEARLY DEFINING DRUG ABUSE DEATH AND ACCURATELY ATTRIBUTING DEATHS TO ABUSE ARE OUTLINED IN THIS GUIDE FOR FORENSIC PATHOLOGISTS, MEDICAL EXAMINERS, AND THOSE INTERESTED IN DRUG ABUSE DATA.
Abstract
FOLLOWING AN OVERVIEW AND INTRODUCTION, THE CHAPTERS IN THE GUIDE ARE ORGANIZED ROUGHLY IN THE ORDER IN WHICH EVENTS OCCUR WHEN A DRUG ABUSE DEATH IS INVESTIGATED AND REPORTED. TOPICS INCLUDE: (1) INITIAL ONSITE INVESTIGATION; (2) POSTMORTEM EXAMINATION AND AUTOPSY; (3) EVIDENCE AND SITUATIONS DETERMINING CAUSE OF DEATH; (4) PROCEDURES IN A VALID, RELIABLE TOXICOLOGICAL ANALYSIS; (5) PSYCHOLOGICAL AUTOPSY OR RECONSTRUCTION OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE DEATH; (6) CERTIFICATION OF DEATH BY THE CORONER OR MEDICAL EXAMINER; (7) COMPILATION OF DATA INTO RECORDKEEPING SYSTEMS; AND (8) PROVISION OF TESTIMONY BY THE MEDICAL-LEGAL OFFICER. AMONG THE RECURRING THEMES ARE LACK OF AGREEMENT ON WHAT A DRUG ABUSE DEATH IS AND HOW IT SHOULD BE DEFINED, INSUFFICIENCY OF THE STANDARD CLASSIFICATION OF CAUSES OF DEATH IN ESTIMATING DRUG ABUSE DEATHS, ADVICE TO BE THOROUGH AND PRECISE IN GATHERING EVIDENCE FOR MAKING DECISIONS ON DRUG ABUSE DEATHS, AND CONCERN OVER DEPENDENCE ON PINPOINT VERSUS FRAMEWORK INTERPRETATION OF CAUSE OF DEATH. APPENDIXES INCLUDE A REPORTING FORM OF A DRUG-INVOLVED DEATH; DATA ON SOME POTENTIALLY TOXIC CHEMICALS IN THE POSTMORTEM EXAMINATION; SAMPLE AUTOPSY REPORT FORMS FROM THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER-CORONER'S OFFICE; A TABULATION OF THERAPEUTIC AND TOXIC CONCENTRATIONS OF MORE THAN 100 TOXICOLOGICALLY SIGNIFICANT DRUGS IN BLOOD, PLASMA, OR SERUM; A TABLE OF THE INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF DISEASES, ADAPTED (ICDA) CODE CATEGORIES MOST FREQUENTLY ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG-INDUCED DEATHS; THE U.S. STANDARD CERTIFCATE OF DEATH; AND THE DRUG ABUSE WARNING NETWORK (DAWN) MEDICAL EXAMINER FORM. SOME CHAPTERS PROVIDE REFERENCES.