(a) When a hospital refers an individual at or near death to a procurement organization, the organization shall make a reasonable search of the records of the Vermont Donor Registry and any other donor registry that it knows exists for the geographical area in which the individual resides to ascertain whether the individual has made an anatomical gift.

(b) A procurement organization must be allowed reasonable access to the Vermont Donor Registry established pursuant to section 5250t of this title to ascertain whether an individual at or near death is a donor.

(c) When a hospital refers an individual at or near death to a procurement organization, the organization may conduct any reasonable examination necessary to assess the medical suitability of a part that is or could be the subject of an anatomical gift for transplantation, therapy, research, or education from a donor or a prospective donor. During the examination period, measures necessary to maintain the potential medical suitability of the part may not be withdrawn unless the hospital or procurement organization knows that the individual expressed a contrary intent.

(d) Unless prohibited by law other than this chapter, at any time after a donor's death, the person to which a part passes under section 5250k of this title may conduct any reasonable examination necessary to assess the medical suitability of the body or part for its intended purpose.

(e) Unless prohibited by law other than this chapter, an examination under subsection (c) or (d) of this section may include serological and blood and tissue compatibility testing, as well as an examination of all medical and dental records of the donor or prospective donor.

(f) Upon the death of a minor who was a donor or had signed a refusal, unless a procurement organization knows the minor is emancipated, the procurement organization shall conduct a reasonable search for the parents of the minor and provide the parents with an opportunity to revoke or amend the anatomical gift or revoke the refusal.

(g) Upon referral by a hospital under subsection (a) of this section, a procurement organization shall make a reasonable search for any person listed in section 5250i of this title having priority to make an anatomical gift on behalf of a prospective donor. If a procurement organization receives information that an anatomical gift to any other person was made, amended, or revoked, it shall promptly advise the other person of all relevant information.

(h) Subject to subsection 5250k(i) and section 5250w of this title, the rights of the person to which a part passes under section 5250k are superior to the rights of all others with respect to the part. The person may accept or reject an anatomical gift in whole or in part. Subject to the terms of the document of gift and this chapter, a person that accepts an anatomical gift of an entire body may allow embalming, burial or cremation, and use of remains in a funeral service. If the gift is of a part, the person to which the part passes under section 5250k of this title, upon the death of the donor and before embalming, burial, or cremation, shall cause the part to be removed without unnecessary mutilation.

(i) Neither the physician who attends the decedent at death nor the physician who determines the time of the decedent's death may participate in the procedures for removing or transplanting a part from the decedent. As used in this section, "procedures" include actual physical removal and transplantation of a part but do not include the consent, process, disposal, preservation, quality measures, storage, transportation, or research involving a part.

(j) A physician or technician may remove a donated part from the body of a donor that the physician or technician is qualified to remove. (Added 2009, No. 119 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)