Chain of Custody
(Forensic Specimens)
 

Policy #24

Dates:

Originated 12/2001
Reviewed 5/2003
Legal Review 1/2003
Revised 3/29/2004
 

Title: Chain of Custody and Forensic Specimens

Policy

The Division of Laboratory Services will not accept any specimen(s) that may be collected for legal reasons from the MUSC Medical Center Emergency Department (ED) or any other location.

A.     Legal Chain of Custody or Chain of Possession:

Specimens with a Chain of Custody “Stat”us collected in the ED or other location for toxicology or chemistry testing will not be accepted by the MUSC Medical University Hospital Authority (MUHA) Core Chemistry (Fast Flow Chemistry ) laboratory or the Specialized Chemistry Laboratory. Chain of Custody specimens are to remain in the respective hospital  or other location. (It is the responsibility of those locations to notify the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division to pick up the specimens.

B.     Forensic Specimens for Chemistry Testing:

1.      Specimens for toxicology and tryptase are stored and processed for referred testing  by the Forensic Division of the MUSC Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.  Specimens for this testing are not stored or analyzed by the MUHA Division of Laboratory Services.

2.      Vitreous fluid specimens for sodium, potassium chloride, glucose, urea nitrogen, creatinine, and acetone testing are delivered with a Forensic Request form to the  Specimen Receiving window, room CH 319. Testing is performed by the MUHA Core Chemistry Laboratory.  (Approval is not needed.)

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Last modified: 03/05/06