Health Minister apologises for ‘abhorrent’ practice of unlawfully keeping autopsy specimens
Tasmania’s government has acknowledged “deep hurt” caused to families after forensic pathologists illegally retained body parts from autopsies for a pathology museum display.
Health Minister Bridget Archer has apologised to the family and loved ones affected by the unlawful retention of autopsy specimens at a pathology museum.
Ms Archer said the “abhorrent practice represented a profound breach of trust” during a ministerial statement to the House of Assembly on Tuesday.
Earlier this year, a coroner found pathologists unlawfully provided 177 specimens from autopsies to Hobart’s R.A.Rodda Museum of Pathology between the 1960s and the 1990s.
“It appears at this stage that now-dead forensic pathologist Dr Royal Cummings was the person who provided the large majority of coronial specimens to the museum,” Mr Cooper found, but said others appeared to have been involved.
“It was identified that the practice … (was) finally ceased as recently as 1997, with the last specimen from a coronial autopsy having been provided in 1991.”
He found that the practice was contrary to the Coroner’s Act, which allows for body parts to be removed or retained only for the purpose of investigating the cause of death.
Ms Archer said what had happened “disregarded the dignity, autonomy, and cultural beliefs of individuals and communities”.
“I want to start by acknowledging the deep hurt this has caused, especially for the friends and family of loved ones affected by these historical practices.
“These revelations have been both traumatic and devastating, and this has been made very clear to the Government, both first-hand through meeting with those impacted and through other MPs.
“To the family and friends of those individuals, we offer our deepest and most sincere apology.
“This abhorrent practice represented a profound breach of trust, and a failure to uphold the ethical standards expected of health and research institutions.”
Attorney-General Guy Barnett last month told parliament he has written to both the Director of Public Prosecutions and Tasmania Police to make them aware of the report, and for their consideration of this matter.
“There are rigorous processes that have been implemented by the State Forensic Pathologist to ensure this will never happen again,” Ms Archer told Parliament.
“However, given the horrific and unacceptable nature of these circumstances, it is very clear that more needs to be done to ensure that anyone involved is held accountable.”
Originally published as Health Minister apologises for ‘abhorrent’ practice of unlawfully keeping autopsy specimens
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