§327-14 Rights and duties of procurement organization and others. (a) When a hospital refers an individual at or near death to a procurement organization, the organization shall make a reasonable search of any donor registry and records of the state or county department of motor vehicles that it knows exist for the geographical area in which the individual resides to ascertain whether the individual has made an anatomical gift.

(b) A procurement organization shall be allowed reasonable access to information in the records of the state or county department of motor vehicles to ascertain whether an individual at or near death is a donor.

(c) When a hospital refers an individual at or near death to a procurement organization, the organization may conduct any reasonable examination necessary to ensure the medical suitability of a body part that is or could be the subject of an anatomical gift for transplantation, therapy, research, or education from a donor or a prospective donor. During the examination period, measures necessary to ensure the medical suitability of the body part may not be withdrawn unless the hospital or procurement organization knows that the individual expressed a contrary intent or the attending physician has determined that continuing these measures would not be consistent with generally accepted standards of care for terminally ill patients.

(d) Unless prohibited by law other than this part, at any time after a donor's death, the person to which a body part passes under section 327-11 may conduct any reasonable examination necessary to ensure the medical suitability of the body or body part for its intended purpose.

(e) Unless prohibited by law other than this part, an examination under subsection (c) or (d) may include an examination of all medical records of the donor or prospective donor.

(f) If a donor, at the time of death, is under eighteen years of age, a procurement organization shall conduct a reasonable search for the parents of the donor and, unless the procurement organization knows the donor is an emancipated minor as deemed by section 577-25, provide the parents with an opportunity to revoke or amend the anatomical gift or revoke a refusal.

(g) A procurement organization shall make a reasonable search for any person listed in section 327-9 having priority to make an anatomical gift on behalf of a prospective donor.

(h) If a procurement organization receives information that an anatomical gift to any other person was made, amended, or revoked, it shall promptly advise the other person of all relevant information.

(i) Subject to sections 327-11(h) and 327-23, the rights of the person to which a body part passes under section 327-11 are superior to rights of all others with respect to the body part. The person to whom an anatomical gift passes under this chapter shall accept or reject the anatomical gift unless the anatomical gift is medically unsuitable for transplantation, therapy, research, or education. The acceptance shall occur when the anatomical gift is made under this chapter, regardless of whether another person, including family members of the donor, has made an anatomical gift. Subject to the terms of the document of gift and this part, a person that accepts an anatomical gift of an entire body may allow embalming or cremation and use of remains in a funeral service. If the gift is of a body part, the person to which the body part passes under section 327-11, upon the death of the donor and before embalming or cremation, shall cause the body part to be removed without unnecessary mutilation.

(j) Neither the physician who attends the decedent at death nor the physician who determines the time of the decedent's death may participate in the procedures for removing or transplanting a body part from the decedent.

(k) A physician or technician may remove a donated body part from the body of a donor that the physician or technician is qualified to remove. [L 2008, c 122, pt of §1; am L 2012, c 270, §2]