Chennai, Aug 8:
The Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) has constituted an expert committee to prepare a draft Uniform Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for post-mortem examinations and forensic practices across Tamil Nadu.
The move follows directions from the Health and Family Welfare Department in connection with a case pending before the Madras High Court, where a petition sought the formulation of a uniform SOP governing post-mortem and forensic procedures.
In an official communication dated August 5, the DMER directed the panel to examine existing procedures followed across the State, identify areas requiring standardisation, recommend best practices and suggest measures for evolving a comprehensive SOP.
The 11-member committee comprises experts from forensic medicine, pathology, biochemistry, microbiology and radiology drawn from government medical colleges and institutions across Tamil Nadu.
Dr. M. Guhan, Associate Professor of Forensic Medicine at Government Medical College, Tirupur, has been designated as the State Nodal Officer for Forensic Medicine and will be part of the panel.
The committee has been asked to submit its draft SOP and recommendations by August 10. The draft will subsequently be reviewed and refined after incorporating inputs from representatives to be nominated by the Director of Medical and Rural Health Services, the Director General of Police and the Director of the Forensic Sciences Department, before being submitted to the State government.