Postmortem genetic testing in young individuals : what clinical medical practitioners need to know

Abstract

The death of a young person is most often a tragic occurrence, more so when this death was unexpected. Forensic pathologists are mandated to investigate such deaths, and there has been a strong move internationally towards genetic testing as an additional investigative tool. The aim of our article is to bring the advantage of implementing the so-called molecular autopsy in a local setting to the attention of medical practitioners. When a multidisciplinary approach is taken in cases of sudden unexpected death, the benefits to family members, and society as a whole, are irrefutable.