"New York City Will Test for AIDS in Autopsies to Trace the"

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1989. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

"New York City Will Test for AIDS in Autopsies to Trace the"

New York Times (12/15/89), P. A1
Lambert, Bruce

Abstract: The New York City Medical Examiner will begin testing for HIV in all autopsies performed and will use the results in statistical research and contact tracing. The tests are expected to detect HIV in at least 1,000 of the 8,000 corpses examined yearly. Chief Medical Examiner Charles Hirsch said the results will be extremely useful for epidemiologic control, prevention, and early medical intervention. Hirsch also said the contact tracing and records will be kept strictly confidential. Some civil rights advocates voiced concern that contact tracing would lead to invasions of privacy. Hirsch said, however, that the Medical Examiner will only supply the health department with demographics and statistical totals, no names. In addition, no HIV antibody test results will appear in autopsy reports. The medical examiner is required by law to perform autopsies in unusual or unexplained deaths or where death resulted from lack of medical care. A significant percentage of those deaths are believed to result from HIV/AIDS, particularly among IV drug users.

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