The handbook contains instructions for medical examiners and coroners on the registration of deaths and the reporting of fetal deaths. This handbook is designed to acquaint medical examiners and coroners with the vital registration system in the United States and to provide instructions for completing and filing death certificates and fetal death reports. Emphasis is directed toward the certification of medical information relating to these events when they come within the jurisdiction of the medical-legal officer (i.e., medical examiner or coroner). It is readily available for direct download, as a PDF document, or browse the main website at http://www.cdc.gov.

The handbook contains instructions for physicians on cause-of-death certification. This handbook is designed to acquaint physicians, medical students, and others with the vital registration system in the United States and to pro-vide instructions for completing and filing death certificates. Emphasis is directed toward the certification of medical information, the primary responsibility of the physician, and a critical piece of information on the death certificate. It is also readily available for download, as a PDF document, or browse the main website at http://www.cdc.gov.