Organ retrieval to get caught in even more red tape
Organ retrieval is possible under current Indian law only from brain dead individuals. The only thing that can cause brain death in a medico legal case is severe head injury. Declaration of brain death unequivocally mandates that the cause of the brain injury must be clear and the circumstances known. All this gobbledygook about poisoning cases being prospective donors is totally irrelevant in the context of brain death. Injuries can be photographed and highly accurate imaging can reveal all that a forensic scientist needs in most cases to establish a cause of death. Injured organs in any case are unsuitable for transplantation and most centres will not be willing to accept donors who have penetrating chest or abdominal trauma. In such circumstances, in the larger interest of judicial process, a forensic team may be asked to be present. This entire process is so devoid of reason and logic that it would be funny if it did not threaten to endanger he lives of hundreds of patients needing life saving transplants. The rates of organ donation in India are already abysmally low and such mindless caveats are the last thing needed.