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Photo: Ofer Meir
Abu Kabir Forensic Institute
Photo: Ofer Meir

Thousands of organs, tissue samples to be buried

Some 8,288 body parts taken out of deceased during autopsies, collected by Abu Kabir Forensic Institute set to be laid to rest under new Knesset committee directive

Laid to rest: Speaking at a debate held on Tuesday at the Knesset's Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, Ministry of Health Director General Ronny Gamzo said that thousands of tissue samples and organs belonging to autopsied bodies will be buried within three months.

 

The debate into the matter began last month when a representative from the Health Ministry's legal department said that the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute had kept the tissue samples and organs of 8,288 bodies that were autopsied at the institute.

 

During the debate, a dispute broke out between police representatives and a representative from the Health Ministry over why and at whose request the institute kept the organs over the years.

 

The dispute led the committee chairman MK David Rotem to close the meeting and hold a new meeting with the participation of the Attorney General and state prosecutor so that they can report to the committee on the proper guidelines and procedures for holding on to organs and tissue removed during the autopsies.

 

Thus, on Tuesday the committee held an additional meeting to discuss a proposal made by Knesset members Uri Maklev (United Torah Judaism), Avraham Michaeli (Shas) and Rachel Adatto (Kadima). During the meeting Dr. Gamzo announced the decision to bury the 8,288 body parts in the institute within three months.

 

"We will let the deceased's families know about the whereabouts of the organs at the institute and ask them to bury them," said Dr Gamzo adding that if in the future tissue samples will be needed, then microscopic samples will be taken from the deceased with the exception of special cases and court requirements.

 

"We have taken major steps to respect the dead," said State Prosecutor Moshe Lador at the meeting. "From here on we will operate in a sensitive and appropriate manner.

 

"We need to respect the interest of burying the dead while on the other hand, working to expose the truth in seeking out the reasons and those responsible for unnatural deaths," Lador added.

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 02.26.12, 08:35
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