[Do we need an autopsy law?]

The clinical autopsy serves the purpose of identifying the underlying disease as well as the immediate cause of death. It is the major instrument of quality control in the field of medical diagnosis and treatment. In addition, autopsies are of great importance with regard to the epidemiology of diseases, to the identification of hitherto unknown disease entities and to modified clinical courses of well-known disorders. Moreover, clinical autopsies have a significant impact on the medical education of students as well as of physicians. The description of the conditions permitting autopsies in the Federal Republic of Germany is followed by a review of the rules governing autopsy practice in the european countries. It is emphasized that the clinical autopsy and its practice should be regulated by a codified law. This law, however, should ensure that the autopsy's objectives may be realized and may indeed contribute to the well-being of the population, to the expansion of scientific knowledge and to the further development of the health care system.