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Coroners Act 2006

Deaths to be reported and post-mortems - Release of bodies, and retention and return of body parts and bodily samples

51: Pathologists proposing to retain parts or samples under section 48(2)(c) must advise of right to request return

You could also call this:

"Pathologists must tell you they're keeping body parts and that you can ask for them back"

Illustration for Coroners Act 2006

You have the right to know if a pathologist wants to keep a part or sample of a body. The pathologist must tell you that you can ask for the part or sample back later. You can ask for it back within 5 working days of being told about your right to do so.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM377585.

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Health and wellbeing > Healthcare servicesRights and equality > Anti-discriminationRights and equality > Privacy
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50: Coroner must notify immediate family of retention, and of right to request return, of parts and samples, or

"Coroner tells family about keeping body parts or samples from a dead person"

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52: Requests for return of retained parts and samples, or

"Asking for body parts or samples to be returned after someone has died"

Part 2Deaths to be reported and post-mortems
Release of bodies, and retention and return of body parts and bodily samples

51Pathologists proposing to retain parts or samples under section 48(2)(c) must advise of right to request return

  1. In ascertaining whether the family members or other people to whom the body is to be released object to a proposal under section 48(2)(c) to retain a part or sample for a specified purpose, the pathologist must advise them that, if they do not object to the proposal, they—

  2. have the right to request, under this section, the return (to the extent permitted by this Act) of the part or sample once it is no longer needed, and to the extent that it has not been destroyed in the course of use, for that purpose; and
    1. may exercise that right at any time within 5 working days after having been advised of it.