What the bloody hell? Isn't it illegal for coroners to lie when certifying the cause of death???

[choie]

Missouri county coroner removed covid from death certificates to 'please' grieving families

A small county in Missouri undercounted the number of fatalities caused by the coronavirus after a coroner agreed to remove covid-19 as a cause of death from some death certificates upon being asked by families of the deceased.

The undercount in coronavirus-linked deaths in Macon County, home to around 15,000, as a result of the coroner's actions is relatively small. The Kansas City Star, which first broke news of the story, pegged the figure at a half-dozen or more. But it comes amid broader recognition that the number of covid fatalities in the United States is probably higher than the official tally of 614,000.


https://www.yahoo.com/news/missouri-county-coroner-removed-covid-110916037.html?.tsrc=fp_deeplink

[SheltieLover]

1. One would think so!

[Igel]

3. I assume there's discretion.

Father killed himself with a single bullet to the head.

"Trauma to head" was cause of death.

Could have been more specific: "gunshot would to head."

Could have been more specific: "suicide--self-inflicted gunshot wound to head."

But the coroner in the county tended not to include suicide out of respect for the family, their sensibilities, and their privacy.

Notice that all three are completely accurate--just that some are more informative.

[choie]

6. It's a legal document

not up for editing by the deceased's family nor the political whim of the coroner.

[SheltieLover]

9. That's my thought on this matter

But I'm not a lawyer.

[SheltieLover]

8. True, but facts are facts

And what family would want to change cause of death amid a pandemic? Why would they care?

[Nay]

15. I am assuming they don't want COVID as the cause of death because the relatives are

anti-vaxxers or Trumpers, and they don't want their family member's death to disturb their COVID-is-fake fantasy.

That's some downright self-brainwashing, right there.

[SheltieLover]

16. Could be

Never thought of that weird mindset.

Who would even know? Do tey pass the certificate around the dinner table?

[Nay]

17. They don't want a COVID death to be added into the state/national count. If it is added,

it bolsters the count of COVID deaths. They don't want to add to the count and they, along with their RW small-town coroner, want to falsify that count if they can.

[SheltieLover]

18. Precisely why changes to COD should not be allowed

[JohnSJ]

2. I thought so too. That is public record they are lying about

[SheltieLover]

10. Yup!

And could skew stats!

[localroger]

4. Also reported today to be happening in Mississippi

In a particular county, not statewide, but probably a widespread practice

[Hoyt]

5. If the coroner sticks to using say "terminal cancer" as cause of death rather

than CV19, I’m OK with that, assuming it represents patient’s condition including imminent death from condition.

Hate that we have ignorant rubes who contest CV19 as cause of death.

[panader0]

14. I know a couple of those ignorant rubes.

They stick to the idea that the hospitals lie about the cause of death to get federal money.
I told them if that was true, the hospitals could lose accreditation. But there's no reasoning
with some. One guy handed me a small magnet and said to see if it sticks to where you got
your shot. It fell to the floor and he said "You must have gotten the fake vaccine."

[frogmarch]

7. He isn't supposed to do that.

https://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/14,22075,420,694.html

snip: (more at the link)

How should physicians list a COVID-19 death on the death certificate?

Confirmed COVID-19 deaths are to be coded as COVID-19 or Coronavirus-19. Do not use Novel Coronavirus, COVID without 19, COVID-19+ or positive, Coronavirus without 19, SARS, or SARS-CoV or SARS-2.

If the death is a suspected/probable COVID-19 case, should the physician indicate that on the death certificate?

Yes, the physician should list Probable COVID-19 as the Cause of Death in Part I, or if there is a reasonable likelihood that COVID-19 contributed to the death then list COVID-19 as the Cause of Death in Part II.

If the patient was a confirmed COVID-19 case, but COVID-19 contributed to but did not cause the death, such as stroke, how should the death certificate be completed?

The Cause of Death in Part I should be stroke and COVID-19 should be listed in Part II.

[viva la]

11. "It's his dying wish...

Please don't say he died of what he died of. He wanted to please Mr. Trump "

[PortTack]

12. As a medical professional it is NOT legal to falsify legal medical documents..period!

[Scrivener7]

13. Just read The Cadaver King and the Country Dentist.

Fascinating book that shows that Coroners are like the Wild West. No rules and few brains required.