Choosing a Qualified Autopsy Provider

Families seeking a private autopsy deserve clear, accurate information about how these examinations are performed and who is performing them. Not all private autopsy services operate under the same medical, professional, or ethical standards.

Some private autopsy services are operated by individuals who are not physicians, or who rely on non–forensic pathologists to perform examinations. In some models, a non-physician conducts the physical autopsy, while a physician later reviews photographs or selected materials and renders opinions from a distance. Families should be aware that this approach is not equivalent to a physician-performed forensic autopsy.

A true forensic autopsy is a medical procedure that requires hands-on examination by a properly trained physician. The observations made during dissection—particularly of the brain, heart, neck, and internal organs—cannot be fully captured secondhand. Critical findings may be subtle, transient, or context-dependent, and may never be visible in photographs or limited samples.

Equally important is the setting in which an autopsy is performed. A funeral home, storage room, or embalming preparation area is not a forensic pathology laboratory. These environments are not designed for medicolegal examinations, do not meet forensic laboratory standards, and are not appropriate settings for complex medical procedures. Families would not accept brain surgery performed in a temporary or non-medical setting, and the same principle applies to an autopsy intended to provide meaningful answers.

NAAG Forensic operates as a formal forensic pathology laboratory, providing physician-performed autopsies conducted directly by board-certified forensic pathologists. Examinations are performed in appropriate medical facilities, using established protocols, with full documentation and accountability. This structure ensures that findings are medically sound, ethically obtained, and capable of standing up to professional, medical, or legal review.

Families entrusting the examination of a loved one deserve seriousness, rigor, and respect. Choosing a properly qualified forensic pathology provider helps ensure that the answers obtained are reliable—and that the examination itself is conducted with the care and professionalism it warrants.

Be cautious of services where the autopsy is performed by a non-physician, or where a forensic pathologist only reviews photographs or paperwork rather than conducting the examination firsthand. It is also a serious concern if the autopsy is offered in a funeral home, storage area, or non-medical setting, as these are not forensic pathology laboratories and are not appropriate environments for a medical or medicolegal examination.