Donor's valid statement takes precedence over others unless required by law in which circumstance?

• A. A hospital policy
• B. An autopsy
• C. A court order
• D. Spousal consent

Answer: (B)

In postmortem decisions, a donor’s expressed wish is usually respected, but law can override that in certain deaths. An autopsy is often mandated by law to determine the cause of death or for forensic investigations. When such a legal autopsy is required, the authority to perform the autopsy supersedes the donor’s wishes, taking precedence over the prior statement. Hospital policy or family preferences generally do not override a mandated autopsy, and while a court order can compel actions, the scenario described here is the autopsy requirement that can override a donor directive.