2005 Rhode Island Code - § 23-18.6-4 — Authorization by medical examiner.

    (a) The medical examiner may release and permit the removal of a part from a body within that official's custody, for transplantation or therapy, if:

   (1) The official has received a request for the part from a hospital, physician, surgeon, or procurement organization;

   (2) The hospital staff "transplant team" has made a reasonable effort, taking into account the useful life of the part, to locate and examine the decedent's medical records and inform persons listed in § 23-18.6-3(a) of their option to make, or object to making, an anatomical gift;

   (3) The official does not know of a refusal or contrary indication by the decedent or objection by a person having priority to act as listed in § 23-18.6-3(a);

   (4) The removal will be by a physician, surgeon, or technician; but in the case of eyes, by one of them or by an enucleator;

   (5) The removal will not interfere with any autopsy, investigation, procedure, or other additional activity as deemed necessary by the medical examiner to arrive at a reasonable cause and manner of death;

   (6) The removal will be in accordance with accepted medical standards; and

   (7) Cosmetic restoration will be done, if appropriate.

   (b) A permanent record of the names of the decedent, the person making the request, the date and purpose of the request, the part requested, and the person to whom it was released should be made by the hospital/physician/technician (enucleator) and forwarded to the medical examiner for his or her records.

   (c) The medical examiner, or his or her designee, shall be present during the removal of the anatomical gift if in his or her judgment such attendance would, in the opinion of the medical examiner or his or her designee, facilitate a donation that would otherwise be denied.

   (d) The medical examiner, or his or her designee, may only deny removal of the anatomical gift after explaining in writing reasons for determining that those tissues or organs may be involved in the cause of death.