765.5185  Corneal removal by medical examiners.--

(1)  In any case in which a patient is in need of corneal tissue for a transplant, a district medical examiner or an appropriately qualified designee with training in ophthalmologic techniques may, upon request of any eye bank authorized under ¹s. 732.918, provide the cornea of a decedent whenever all of the following conditions are met:

(a)  A decedent who may provide a suitable cornea for the transplant is under the jurisdiction of the medical examiner and an autopsy is required in accordance with s. 406.11.

(b)  No objection by the next of kin of the decedent is known by the medical examiner.

(c)  The removal of the cornea will not interfere with the subsequent course of an investigation or autopsy.

(2)  Neither the district medical examiner nor the medical examiner's appropriately qualified designee nor any eye bank authorized under ¹s. 732.918 may be held liable in any civil or criminal action for failure to obtain consent of the next of kin.

History.--s. 1, ch. 77-172; s. 1, ch. 78-191; s. 979, ch. 97-102; s. 69, ch. 2001-226.

¹Note.--Transferred to s. 765.518 by s. 68, ch. 2001-226.