Hadassah Hospital Officials Confer with Orthodox Leaders on Autopsies

Hadassah Hospital officials here met today with a delegation of Orthodox groups protesting an autopsy carried out on the body of an elderly American woman who died during a visit to relatives in Israel. It was reported that her wishes about an autopsy could not be ascertained before her death.

The hospital authorities told the Orthodox delegation that autopsies are usually not performed in the hospital where there is a written request opposing that procedure either from the patient or the patient’s next of kin. The authorities said also that when there was a clear medical reason for performing a postmortem, it was carried out “in any case.” Orthodox groups both inside and outside Israel have protested Israeli policies on autopsies.