Are Death Certificate Discrepancies Misguiding Health Policy?

Researchers have found death certificates across the country are rife with unsettling discrepancies, casting doubts on the reliability of our health records.

Closeup of a deather certificate symbolizing peron who passed away

In 2020, a family mourning the loss of their elderly matriarch to Alzheimer’s was stunned to find “COVID-19” listed as a concurrent cause on her death certificate. The woman had never been tested for the virus, and no family members had contracted it. Her passing showed no signs of COVID-19; she breathed easily until the end.

The case isn’t an isolated one. Researchers have found that death certificates across the country are rife with unsettling discrepancies, casting doubts on the reliability of our health records and health care priorities.

Public Health Consequences of Erroneous Death Certifications

Death certificates arm epidemiologists with vital insight into disease patterns. Beyond pinpointing causes of death, they influence key policy decisions, steer research funds, and mold community initiatives.