Amendment zum Abschnitt „Totenbeschau nach AS“

The correct procedure for death examination following a completed assisted suicide (AS) caused confusion in Austria after the Assisted Dying Act came into effect on January 1, 2022. Since death examination legislation is regulated differently across federal states, the involvement of the police, the subsequent reporting to the public prosecutor, and any necessary judicial autopsy are handled inconsistently. In most “cause of death documentation” systems, AS is not yet its own entity with a clearly defined follow-up procedure. However, in states that differentiate between natural and unnatural causes of death, notifying the police is required after an AS, even though AS is not illegal, but still classified as an unnatural cause of death. Political representatives are working towards a uniform regulation across all federal states. To improve the accurate documentation of AS, it is urgently recommended that employers of all medical institutions in Austria establish a separate category for AS as a distinct cause of death in their death documentation systems.