There Are Too Many Opioid Overdoses to Autopsy All the Bodies

‘In the rural and suburban communities where the opioid epidemic has hit hardest, so many people are dying of overdoses that medical examiners are unable to autopsy all the bodies. That means critical information—including accurate tallies of drug deaths that are used to inform policy—may be overlooked.
According to Vice News, an estimated 70 medical examiners offices around the country have accreditation from the National Association of Medical Examiners. NAME requires that no single medical examiner perform more than 250 autopsies a year, to minimize potential errors and ensure a standard of quality is met.
“If you go over that line, you’re more likely to make mistakes, take inappropriate shortcuts, etc.,” NAME president Brian Peterson explained to Vice. “If you’re under that line, you’re more likely to do a thorough job.”’
Read more: There Are Too Many Opioid Overdoses to Autopsy All the Bodies