South Carolina Code 44-43-405. Anatomical gifts from bodies under jurisdiction of coroner
(B) The coroner may conduct a medicolegal examination by reviewing all medical records, laboratory test results, x-rays, other diagnostic results, and other information that any person possesses about a donor or prospective donor whose body is under the jurisdiction of the coroner which the coroner determines may be relevant to the investigation.
Terms Used In South Carolina Code 44-43-405
- Anatomical gift: means a donation of all or part of a human body to take effect after the donor's death for the purpose of transplantation, therapy, research, or education. See South Carolina Code 44-43-305
- Decedent: A deceased person.
- Decedent: means a deceased individual whose body or part is or may be the source of an anatomical gift. See South Carolina Code 44-43-305
- Donor: The person who makes a gift.
- Donor: means an individual whose body or part is the subject of an anatomical gift. See South Carolina Code 44-43-305
- Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Part: means an organ, an eye, or tissue of a human being. See South Carolina Code 44-43-305
- Person: means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, public corporation, government or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, or any other legal or commercial entity. See South Carolina Code 44-43-305
- Physician: means an individual authorized to practice medicine or osteopathy under the law of any state. See South Carolina Code 44-43-305
- Procurement organization: means an eye bank, organ procurement organization, or tissue bank. See South Carolina Code 44-43-305
- Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form. See South Carolina Code 44-43-305
- Technician: means an individual determined to be qualified to remove or process parts by an appropriate organization that is licensed, accredited, or regulated under federal or state law. See South Carolina Code 44-43-305
(C) A person that has any information requested by a coroner pursuant to subsection (B) shall provide that information as expeditiously as possible to allow the coroner to conduct the medicolegal investigation within a period compatible with the preservation of parts for the purpose of transplantation, therapy, research, or education.
(D) If an anatomical gift has been or might be made of a part of a decedent whose body is under the jurisdiction of the coroner and a post-mortem examination is not required, or the coroner determines that a post-mortem examination is required but that the recovery of the part that is the subject of an anatomical gift will not interfere with the examination, the coroner and procurement organization shall cooperate in the timely removal of the part from the decedent for the purpose of transplantation, therapy, research, or education.
(E) If an anatomical gift of a part from the decedent under the jurisdiction of the coroner has been or might be made, but the coroner initially believes that the recovery of the part could interfere with the post-mortem investigation into the decedent’s cause or manner of death, the coroner shall consult with the forensic pathologist and the procurement organization about the proposed recovery. After consultation, the coroner may allow the recovery.
(F) If the coroner or designee allows recovery of a part under subsection (D), or (E), the procurement organization, upon request, shall cause the physician or technician who removes the part to provide the coroner with a record describing the condition of the part, a biopsy, a photograph, and any other information and observations that would assist in the post-mortem examination.