The National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) Position Paper

Individuals who die suddenly and unexpectedly will often fall under the jurisdiction of a Medical Examiner or Coroner (MEC). Forensic pathologists may therefore be the first physicians to diagnose a genetic disease. Identifying these conditions at autopsy improves the accuracy of death certification and provides biological relatives the opportunity to seek diagnosis and intervention. Accessibility and diagnostic capabilities of postmortem genetic testing (PMGT) have rapidly expanded over the last decade since the previous National Association of Medical Examiners position paper on this topic. In this updated position paper, we review the different types of PMGT and the genetic conditions most likely to be encountered at forensic autopsy. Guidelines are also provided for the implementation of PMGT in an MEC office and for the reporting of results.