RT Journal
A1 Bewtra C
T1 AUtopsy rates and diagnosis
JF JAMA
JO JAMA
YR 1999
FD June 16
VO 281
IS 23
SP 2181
OP 2181
DO 10-1001/pubs.JAMA-ISSN-0098-7484-281-23-jac90005
UL http://dx.doi.org/10-1001/pubs.JAMA-ISSN-0098-7484-281-23-jac90005
AB 
To the Editor: I
completely agree with Dr Lundberg's1 suggestions to the
Health Care Financing Administration and the Joint Commission on
Accrediation of Healthcare Organizations for reviving the flagging
autopsy rates in US hospitals. As a pathologist in a teaching hospital,
I have watched our autopsy rate decrease drastically over the last 20
years. No amount of clinician education, pleas for teaching
conferences, or decreased reporting time (currently 1 week for final
report) has had any effect. I suggest that all national and regional
cancer trial groups (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group, North Central
Cancer Treatment Group, etc) mandate autopsy of the enrolled patients
as one of the requirements for participation in these trials. The extra
cost should be included in the trial budget. At present, no such
provision exists. Thus, we miss important knowledge regarding the
effects of these new drugs and implements on cancer and healthy
tissues.