Autopsies can reveal intimate health details. Should they be kept private?
1 min read
Summary
Recent news coverage of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa’s deaths revealed intimate details of their health, leading some to question whether autopsy reports should be kept private.
Autopsy reports often reveal health conditions that may have been kept private while the person was alive and can also reveal more information than just the cause of death.
This can include asymptomatic conditions and genetic factors that may increase the risk of developing other diseases, which could be useful information for the individual’s family members.
However, it is not always clear whether the deceased would have wanted this information to be shared and it could cause stress or anxiety for relatives.
Currently, the laws around who should have access to a person’s autopsy report vary by state and county, with clinical autopsies always made available to family members.
Advance directives, which allow individuals to clarify their end-of-life wishes, could be expanded to include how people want to share their health information after their death.