Statutory inquiry demanded into removal of brains without consent
Parents for Justice, the organisation set up to seek answers to the unauthorised removal of organs from dead children by hospital authorities, called on Health Minister Micheál Martin to immediately put the Dunne Inquiry, currently investigating post mortem practice, on a legal footing following the latest revelations.
As revealed on Irishhealth.com, the brains of hundreds of dead adults, including victims of suicide and depression, were removed in at least five major hospitals without the consent of next of kin. At least one university still has such brains in storage for medical research.
“I’ve spoken to many families in the past 24 hours and I think you will find that brain-removal was not confined to those who committed suicide or suffered from depression. It was far more widespread than that,” said Fionnuala O’Reilly of Parents for Justice.
She said the brains of a number of mentally handicapped children killed in a road traffic accident some time ago had also been used for research purposes.
However, Government attempts to inquire into the organ removal and retention scandal have so far fallen foul of affected families because the Dunne Inquiry, set up by the state, has no statutory powers. Ms O’Reilly also said that after two-and-a-half years in existence, the Dunne Inquiry had still not succeeded in getting one hospital or one health board to co-operate with it. Parents for Justice withdrew from the Dunne Inquiry last October. Suicide bereavement groups have also slammed the latest revelations. Michael Fahy, director of Solas, a suicide bereavement support group in the west, questioned the ethics of removing brains from suicide victims.
National Suicide Bereavement Support Network spokeswoman Theresa Millea described the latest news as very distressing.
Fine Gael TD Dan Neville, who raised the issue of brain-removal in the Dáil last week on foot of revelations that it had happened in Britain, has called on Mr Martin to outline fully what current policy is in relation to brain-removal.
He will call on the minister to make a full statement and to allow a debate on the issue in the Dáil tomorrow.
Beaumont; St Vincent’s; St James’; University Hospital Galway, and Cork University Hospital have confirmed that the practice of brain-removal did take place at their hospitals.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said the Dunne Inquiry had within its scope to look at all aspects of organ removal, but that it would be concentrating on the removal of children’s organs till the end of the year.
