title: [Analysis of death certificates in postmortem examination waivers].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The practices of autopsies and waivers in three Hungarian counties subject to the same statutory framework in a 5-year interval have been examined, with special attention to cases of non-natural death.
  
  
  METHODS
  The summary data included in the post mortem examination certificates, for the years between 2006 and 2010, in a breakdown according to counties, covering all cases of death were analysed. The work was assisted by a Java-based software programme.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In terms of the waiving of autopsies, a comparison of the three counties revealed significant differences. The persons who issue waivers from the performance of autopsies also vary across the counties. In case of deaths caused by accidents, no autopsy was performed in 844 cases. Similar situation was found in case of various identified and non-identified injuries, which were entered as the direct cause of death in 28 cases, as well as road traffic accidents entered in 32 cases and the unidentified consequences of road traffic accidents, which we found in 26 cases. No autopsy was performed in 25 cases of deaths assumed to be suicides and in one homicide.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Hungarian laws follow the recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to Member States of the Council of Europe, and provide that in all cases where the death is due to non-natural causes or the possibility of non-natural causes is raised, an autopsy should be performed. In this given legal context it is unclear how autopsies in the cases of death due to homicides, suicides and accidents as detailed above could possibly be dispensed with. The purpose of this paper was to provide a baseline study on the current practice of certification. The findings could be used in the course of governmental reviews for the purpose of drawing up recommendations. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(52), 2082-2087.
authors.affiliation: Klinikai Központ, Igazságügyi Orvostan, Debreceni Egyetem, Általános Orvostudományi Kar Debrecen.
authors.forename: Csaba
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Turzó
authors.affiliation: Patológiai Osztály, Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén Megyei Kórház és Egyetemi Oktató Kórház Miskolc.
authors.forename: Péter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Juhász
authors.affiliation: Népegészségügyi Főosztály, Heves Megyei Kormányhivatal Eger.
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Papp
authors.affiliation: Igazságügyi és Biztosítás-orvostani Intézet, Semmelweis Egyetem, Általános Orvostudományi Kar Budapest, Üllői út 93., 1091.
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Szöllősi
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001344:Autopsy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003334:Coroners and Medical Examiners; D003644:Death Certificates; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000453:epidemiology; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary; D010338:Pathology, Clinical / Q000458:organization & administration*
keywords: boncolás; death certification; halottvizsgálat; hatósági boncolás; medico-legal autopsy; nem természetes okú halál; non-natural death; postmortem examination