Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines
A verbal autopsy (VA) is an interview carried out with family members and caregivers of the deceased, using a structured questionnaire to elicit signs and symptoms and other pertinent information that can later be used to assign a probable underlying cause of death. The results of the verbal autopsy interview may be analysed using a computer algorithm (automated verbal autopsy), which generates a probable cause of death based on the interviewee responses. Alternatively, a physician may review the results (physician-reviewed VA) and determine a probable cause of death.
Bolivia
Legal Analysis
In cases where no medical attention was received by the decedent, or there is no possibility of conducting a physical autopsy, the doctor must reconstruct the clinical history or make a verbal autopsy, and issue the MCCD, stating the facts.
