AP Features, September 28th, 2007
A decision to reduce the number of autopsies in the Austrian capital is causing debate, with critics saying it could lead to murders going undetected.
In 2006, Vienna had an autopsy rate of 31 percent, meaning that almost every third body was medically examined. The capital's rate was significantly higher than the countrywide rate of 21 percent, drawing criticism from the nation's comptroller's office.
In the past, post-mortem exams were performed on everyone who died of natural causes at home, in private nursing homes, private clinics or on the streets if there were any doubts about the exact cause of death.
But under revised regulations that took effect earlier this month, autopsies of people who died of natural causes are now performed only if determining the cause of death is important for public health reasons and if the cause cannot be determined any other way, such as through the analysis of blood or urine samples or X-rays.
Eva Schantl-Wurz, deputy director of the Vienna department in charge of health and social affairs, said many of the autopsies carried out in the past were unnecessary.
"If the coroner determining the cause of death wasn't 100 percent sure, an autopsy was performed," Schantl-Wurz said. Sometimes the procedure kept families waiting when they wanted nothing more than to bury their loved one, she said.
The new regulation will save about euro120,000 (US$170,000) a year, Schantl-Wurz said, adding that autopsies would continue to be carried out if there was the "slightest suspicion that foul play was involved."
Also, autopsies will still be performed if there is a suspicion that someone died of a disease that could pose a threat to public health, she said.
But Thomas Szekeres, vice president of Vienna's Aerztekammer, the professional association of doctors in the capital, said the decrease in autopsies might mean that some murders will go undiscovered.
"Of course it's obvious if there's an ax in someone's neck," he said. "But it's not always that clear."
