2019 Mississippi Code
Title 41 - Public Health
Chapter 39 - Disposition of Human Bodies or Parts
Revised Mississippi Uniform Anatomical Gift Act
§ 41-39-143. Notification of medical examiner if deceased patient is subject of medical-legal death investigation
(a) If the deceased patient is medically suitable to be an organ and/or tissue donor, as determined by the procurement organization, and the donor and/or family has authorized the donation and transplantation, the donor’s organs and/or tissues shall be removed for the purpose of donation and transplantation by the organ procurement organization, in accordance with subsection (b) of this section.
(b) If the deceased patient is the subject of a medical-legal death investigation, the procurement organization shall immediately notify the appropriate medical examiner that the deceased patient is medically suitable to be an organ and/or tissue donor. If the medical examiner determines that examination, analysis or autopsy of the organs and/or tissue is necessary for the medical examiner’s investigation, the medical examiner may be present while the organs and/or tissues are removed for the purpose of transplantation. The physician, surgeon or technician removing the organs and/or tissues shall file with the medical examiner a report detailing the donation, which shall become part of the medical examiner’s report. When requested by the medical examiner, the report shall include a biopsy or medically approved sample, as specified by the medical examiner, from the donated organs and/or tissues.
(c) In a medical-legal death investigation, decisions about organ and/or tissue donation and transplantation shall be made in accordance with a protocol established and agreed upon by majority vote of procurement organization, a certified state pathologist who shall be appointed by the Mississippi Commissioner of Public Safety, a representative from the University of Mississippi Medical Center, a representative from the Mississippi Coroners Association, an organ recipient who shall be appointed by the Governor, the Director of the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, and a representative of the Mississippi Prosecutor’s Association appointed by the Attorney General. The protocol shall be established so as to maximize the total number of organs and/or tissues available for donation and transplantation. Organs and/or tissues designated by virtue of this protocol shall be recovered. The protocol shall be reviewed and evaluated on an annual basis.
