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Burial and Cremation Act 1964

General provisions

46CA: Certificate of cause of death in relation to assisted dying

You could also call this:

"What happens when a doctor helps someone die: getting a death certificate"

Illustration for Burial and Cremation Act 1964

If you are looking at a situation where someone dies because of assisted dying under the End of Life Choice Act 2019, a doctor or nurse must give a certificate of cause of death right after the person dies. You need to know the doctor or nurse who was with the person until they died is the one who gives this certificate. However, they cannot give this certificate if the coroner decides to investigate the death under Part 3 of the Coroners Act 2006.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS602963.

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Part 7General provisions

46CACertificate of cause of death in relation to assisted dying

  1. This section applies if a person dies as a result of assisted dying under the End of Life Choice Act 2019.

  2. The medical practitioner or nurse practitioner who was available to the person until the person died must, immediately after the person’s death, give a certificate of cause of death.

  3. However, a certificate of cause of death must not be given under this section if the coroner has decided to open an inquiry into the death under Part 3 of the Coroners Act 2006.

Notes
  • Section 46CA: inserted, on , by section 41 of the End of Life Choice Act 2019 (2019 No 67).