Public Position Papers and Statements

Scientific papers: Five years after the Board of Directors votes to approve the paper (step 9), the paper is subject to one five-year renewal term. The Board of Directors will vote whether to exercise this option at a Board of Directors meeting, by super-majority (3/4) vote. The paper is re-endorsed as is; changes are not permissible, as the paper has already been published. If changes or updates are needed, a new paper must be generated using the guidelines and steps above. NAME’s endorsement of a scientific position paper therefore ends either five years from publication of the position paper, or 10 years after publication if the five-year renewal option is approved by the Board of Directors.

Administrative papers may be renewed beginning five years after approval and every five years thereafter. The NAME EPP-Position Paper Committee will review the paper and make recommendations to the Board of Directors about their continued validity/timelessness. The Board of Directors will determine by simple majority vote whether to re-endorse the paper as written or to sunset the paper (with or without forming a committee to write a new paper, following the processes above).

Important note on "Draft" Papers, which are submitted to members for comment when applicable (and available only during review on a separate page of this web site):

Please note that DRAFTS are posted on the members-only, password-protected part of the NAME website after the Board of Directors has approved the concept of the paper. The drafts are then open for NAME member (not public) review and comment to the author(s) in accordance with NAME policy. There are still many steps in the position paper process before these documents can be submitted to our journal as NAME-endorsed or provided to anyone outside of NAME.

Releasing draft papers, which have not yet been edited by the authors or received final NAME Executive Committee and Board of Directors approval, is NOT appropriate. To characterize them as the official position of NAME prior to their approval by the BOD would not be factual.

To Make a Suggestion for a Future Position Paper, please Use the Link 
https://name.memberclicks.net/index.php?option=com_mcform&view=ngforms&id=2235963#!/

NAME Position Paper Process: https://name.memberclicks.net/assets/docs/Position%20Paper%20Process%202025.pdf

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

NAME has an agreement that NAME position papers are published in AJFMP and ownership of the journal content remains with Wolters Kluwer.  The agreement grants distribution and reprint rights to the publisher.

Position papers may be viewed on the AJFMP website: https://www.ovid.com/jnls/amjforensicmedicine

Requested reprints must be obtained through the standard Wolters Kluwer reprint process:  https://www.ovid.com/global/reprints

Administrative Position Papers available at AJFMP
1)     Investigation and Certification of Pediatric Deaths from Environmental Neglect 10-13-2023
2)     Medical Examiner, Coroner, and Forensic Pathologist Independence 03-2013 (Renewed 04-2023)
3)     Recommendations for the Documentation and Certification of Disaster-Related Deaths 10-2022
4)     Second Autopsies (03-2023) 

Scientific Position Papers available at AJFMP
1)     Deaths in Custody 10-2017 (Renewed until 2027)
2)     Investigation and Certification of Fetal Demise, Stillborn, and Early Neonatal Deaths (10-17-2025)
3)     Postmortem Assessment of Suspected Head Trauma in Infant and Young Children (10-17-2025)
4)     Postmortem Genetic Testing in Forensic Pathology Cases (10-17-2025)
5)     Recommendations for the Investigation and Certification of Deaths in People with Epilepsy (Renewed until April 2028)
6)     Recommendations for the Investigation, Diagnosis, and Certification of Deaths Related to Opioid and Other Drugs 2019 - 2024 (Renewed until 2029)
7)     Recommendations for the Investigation of Maternal Deaths 2026

 Position Statements