Defining death: ALRC examines laws around human tissue and organs

In Australia, ‘what is death’ and other legal definitions, such as what constitutes human tissue, have not kept up with advances in medical science. There are also different rules around the use, donation or access to human tissue, blood and organs across the states and territories. In its first review of the legislation in almost 50 years, the Australian Law Reform Commission is in consultation to harmonise and modernise the current complex suite of human tissue laws.