*Prof. & HOD, Department of Forensic Medicine, M. P. Shah Medical College, Jamnagar. E-mail: bdgujn@yahoo.com
**Assist. Prof, Dept. of Forensic Medicine, M. P. Shah Medical College, Jamnagar
***Assist. Prof, Dept. of Forensic Medicine, P. D. U. Medical College, Rajkot
Online published on 27 November, 2013.
Going through the various textbooks on Forensic Medicine and Toxicology written by Indian authors, we observed that a good deal of ignorance and confusion is prevailing over the use of word “Death Certificate”. We referred to the literature as referenced by Indian authors and relevant laws like the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, (RBDA) 1969 and Rules there off. The paper discusses ‘death certificate’, ‘Medical Certification of Cause of Death’ (MCCD), and ‘death slip’ in their correct perspective with relevant legal provisions and medical and social uses. Paper also deals with basic duties of medical practitioner when he deals with a dead body. We conclude that the ‘death certificate’ and MCCD are different entities. Legal provisions for them are different in the concerned law that is RBDA. As textbooks are read by medical students and medical officers who are concerned with such issues, authors are requested to edit their literature accordingly in view of this paper.
MCCD, Death Certificate, Registration of Births, Deaths Act
