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As the national provider of forensic medical consultancy services for Coroner's cases, the forensic medicine team of the Applied Sciences Group at the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) conducts autopsies and assists in the investigations of homicides and suspicious deaths.

To help you understand us better, we address 10 Frequently Asked Questions about our work in supporting the administration of justice in Singapore.

The word “autopsy” has its roots in Greek, which means “to see for one self.”  Also called a post mortem, it involves a thorough examination of the body of a deceased person, both internally and externally.

Generally speaking, there are two types of autopsies, academic autopsy or the medicolegal / Coroner's autopsy.

An academic autopsy is one in which consent is obtained from the next of kin for physicians to examine the body in order to study the manifestations and progress of disease in a natural death.

A medicolegal autopsy is one where the State has an interest in looking into the death and the surrounding circumstances so as to determine if any one may be responsible for causing the death.  Such an autopsy is authorised by the Coroner, empowered through legislature.  In such a case, consent is not required from the next of kin.

Singapore has a death investigation system known as the Coronial Death Investigation System.  The Criminal Procedure Code provides for the State Coroner who is a judge appointed by the Honourable Chief Justice, who will lead the inquiry into deaths which are sudden and of unknown cause or which are unnatural in circumstance, that are reported to him.  Such cases are known as Coroner's cases. The State Coroner is assisted by a number of deputy Coroners.

Once an unnatural death occurs or where the cause of death is unknown, the hospital where the death occurs or the next of kin if death occurs at home, is obligated to report it to the police, who will then bring it to the attention of the Coroner.

With preliminary investigative information from the police and medical inputs from the forensic pathologist from HSA, the Coroner will determine if an autopsy is required and will authorize our forensic pathologist to carry out the autopsy if it is required, so as to determine the cause of death and document any other findings on the body.

The police will investigate into the circumstances of the case.

The State Coroner will later hold an inquiry, if death is due to an unnatural cause, to listen to the facts regarding the circumstance, eye-witness accounts, the autopsy and other investigative findings, before determining the verdict or manner of death.

In Singapore, doctors who work in the field of forensic pathology carry out such examinations.  A doctor who wants to be an expert in forensic pathology undergoes at least six years of post-graduate specialist training and has to pass the necessary postgraduate examinations before he can be deemed to be a specialist in this field. 

All practising forensic pathologists in Singapore are employed by HSA, in the Forensic Medicine Division of HSA's Applied Sciences Group.  Our forensic pathologists conduct all autopsies in the Mortuary@HSA, which is located at Block 9 of the Singapore General Hospital campus, next to the HSA Headquarters building along Outram Road. 

A forensic pathologist is trained in understanding the diseases and injuries, and how these affect the human body so as to result in death.

Unlike a pathologist who works in a hospital in identifying diseases or cancers in tissues removed during surgery, a forensic pathologist looks at the human body with a view to determine the medical cause of death.  He notes the injuries and diseases found on the body.  He takes samples for testing and further examination so as to throw light on the circumstances surrounding the death.  Some of these tests may include looking for drugs and poisons, bacteria and viruses or even genetic mechanisms.

If there is evidence on the body such as bullets, paint fragments or other material, these are recovered and sent for further testing as well.

Later, the forensic pathologist puts down in his report what he finds and where required goes to court to give evidence on what he found.

In cases of suspicious deaths and murders, the forensic pathologist may be asked to go to the scene to look at the body to assist in providing preliminary information so as to help the police pursue various possible leads in their investigations.

At HSA, all autopsies are conducted in accordance with accepted international practice.

Full comprehensive autopsies are carried out to enable our forensic pathologists to have a final and thorough look at the body and its systems, so as to yield as much information as possible for future deliberations, whether these be court proceedings or for clinical audit purposes.

Forensic autopsies include a thorough head to toe examination and documentation of external injuries and relevant features such as scars and tattoos.  All major thoracic and abdominal organs are removed via a midline incision down the middle of the body.  The brain is also removed via an incision over the scalp from ear to ear.  The organs are separated and examined.  Small samples including blood, urine and other tissues may be taken for microscopic examination or other tests.  After that, the organs are replaced back into the body and the incisions closed.  The body is washed and wrapped in a clean plastic sheet, ready for release.

We do not carry out any embalming at the Mortuary@HSA.

At HSA, we take the approach that any case could be potentially infected.  Hence, we adopt good biosafety practices throughout the entire process of body handling.

Our staff at the Mortuary@HSA are trained in safe handling of bodies, and are properly dressed in personal protective equipment, with N95 masks and disposable gowns.  A stringent regime of cleaning and decontamination is put in place.  Every afternoon, after autopsies are completed, our technicians proceed to decontaminate (clean up) the autopsy suite and storage facilities to minimise any residual risks. 

Further, biosafety training is also conducted regularly in the afternoons.  If there is a suspicious case of a highly infectious disease, special protocols will be adopted following a proper risk assessment so as to enable the autopsy examination to be carried out safely. 

All Coroner's cases reported within 24 hours prior to 6am each day can be processed as long as the body arrives at the Mortuary@HSA before 8am. 

After case registration and the Coroner's review, cases that do not require an autopsy would be released following the necessary paperwork and death registration is completed.  The next of kin can register the death at the one-stop service at Mortuary@HSA prior to claiming the body.

For cases that are autopsied, most of the bodies would be ready for release on the same day.  The exceptions would be suspicious deaths and homicides where more time is required for examinations to be completed.  In these cases, the next of kin would be informed as to the time they can come to claim the body.

The death certificate will inform the next of kin what had caused the death of their loved one.  However, if they wish to find out about the detailed findings from the autopsy, they can enquire at the Mortuary@HSA counter for a copy of the autopsy report, which will be sent to them when it is ready.  The report is usually ready in about four weeks from the date of the autopsy.  An administrative fee is charged.

At HSA, we do not communicate or discuss findings over the telephone for reasons of confidentiality.

After the autopsy, HSA's forensic pathologists document the findings and report them to the State Coroner.

The State Coroner will deliberate on the autopsy findings as well as other findings provided by the Investigating Officer from the Singapore Police Force. 

Usually, if death had resulted from a natural disease condition, the case is closed and no further inquiry is conducted.

If death had been the result of unnatural circumstances, an inquiry would likely be held and the next of kin would be informed as to the date of hearing.

If the next of kin have concerns regarding the death, they should contact the Investigating Officer who is in charge of the case to express their concerns as soon as possible.

Yes, HSA offers our forensic consultancy services to private clients in non-Coroner's cases, such as in deaths that occur in international waters or overseas.

Clients who may have a need of such services are advised to contact the Forensic Medicine Division of HSA's Applied Sciences Group directly at Tel:  6213 0659 or 6213 0821.