Military kept hundreds of organs after performing autopsies, watchdog says

The Department of Defense's medial examiner retained hundreds of organs removed during autopsies without notifying family members, a report shows.

The military’s medical examiner retained hundreds of organs removed during autopsies — including people’s brains and hearts — frequently without notifying family members or, in some instances, against their wishes, according to a watchdog report.

For years, the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, which conducts autopsies on service members and others who die under federal jurisdiction, lacked consistent procedures for handling and storing organs removed during autopsies, the Pentagon’s Inspector General found. 

A Department of Defense official confirmed on Friday that the military’s medical examiner retained 553 “specimens” belonging to 433 people at its Dover Air Force Base morgue in Delaware. The official said the military is not actively contacting those relatives but instead is asking people who suspect a loved one may be included in that tally to email the military to reclaim the remains. 

“It’s mainly in order to not retraumatize families,” the official added of the decision not to proactively inform families. “Some of these are from many, many years ago.” 

The Pentagon’s Inspector General warned that because the medical examiner did not keep complete and accurate records for retained organs, officials may not be able to effectively answer families’ questions, which “could cause emotional distress.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/military-medical-examiner-organs-autopsy-rcna144571

---