The autopsy and health statistics.

The current state of death statistics in the United States would constitute a national embarrassment if it were not for the fact that the rest of the world seems to be similarly afflicted. This ubiquity of the issue does not, however, make it any less urgent. The etiology of the problem is multifaceted, and remediation will require a broad approach, designed to reach all of the several involved groups of people. The key to the solution, however, is accurate data on the underlying cause of death and contributory diseases, data generally best available through autopsy. More autopsies, more accurate autopsies, and more attention to proper completion of death certificates are needed.