Prince’s autopsy, particularly the toxicology report, may clarify whether prescription painkillers played a part in his death.
Determining whether the music superstar died of a drug overdose likely will involve not only tests of his blood, urine, liver tissue and fluid from the eyes, it also will require compiling evidence from Prince’s medicine cabinet, his medical history and possibly information from witnesses and those who knew him.
Why does it take so long?
Toxicology reports can be based on multiple rounds of tests, escalating in sophistication as pathologists, toxicologists and chemists work together to answer questions, according to the College of American Pathologists.
What could the autopsy show?
The autopsy report will help clarify whether Prince had a medical issue such as a heart problem that might explain his death, said Dr. Paul Wax, executive director of the American College of Medical Toxicology.
If prescription drugs are involved, Prince may have been taking medications exactly as directed or taking more than prescribed. The report could include evidence that prescriptions from several doctors were involved or may say nothing about the source of any culprit drugs.
Who is the medical examiner?
Dr. A. Quinn Strobl, who has been the chief medical examiner at the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office since late 2009, performed the autopsy on Prince. Her office is the official coroner for 19 counties in Minnesota, including Carver County, where he was found dead.
Strobl has been a practicing forensic pathologist since she finished her fellowship in 2005 and is board-certified in anatomic, clinical and forensic pathology.
What happens next?
Autopsy reports usually include a cause of death such as opioid poisoning or congestive heart failure and a manner of death, such as homicide, suicide, accident or undetermined. But those categories have no legal standing, according to Dr. Dave Fowler, Maryland’s chief medical examiner and president of the National Association of Medical Examiners.
“Medical definitions largely are there to classify a death for statistical purposes,” Fowler said. “It’s more of a public health tool than it is a legal or law enforcement tool.”
