Section 146-5-6 - Incomplete CertificationA. If the certifying physician cannot adequately determine the cause of death until laboratory or autopsy studies, or referral to records not immediately available, have been made, and if such information is not available within the time prescribed for filing of the certificate, the death shall be reported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Deaths due to natural causes may be referred back to the attending physician by the Chief Medical Examiner for medical certification as provided in M.R.S.A., Title 22, Sec. 3025, sub-Sec. 4.B. Not withstanding subsection A above, if the certifying physician is certain that the cause, whatever it might be, is not one requiring the intervention of the medical examiner, the death need not be reported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.C. When the cause of death is not immediately known, the certifying physician shall enter "Pending" adding "laboratory studies", "autopsy" or "research of records" as appropriate, sign the certificate, and present it to the funeral director for filing within the time prescribed in section 5. The certificate shall not be held incomplete while pending matters are finalized unless there are unusual extenuating circumstances.D. Such "pending" certificates shall be finalized by means of a supplemental cause of death report furnished by the state registrar. This form will be sent to the certifying physician whenever the cause of death has been left "pending" and no supplement filed in a reasonable time. 1. The supplement shall be completed and signed by the certifier upon receipt and returned as directed or an explanation given as to why the matter is still not resolved.2. Certificates completed under this subsection shall not be regarded as amended.E. Any certificate which has been completed and filed, but for which further studies show the cause to be inaccurate, may be amended by means of the supplemental cause of death report furnished by the state registrar. Certificates corrected under this subsection shall be regarded as amended.F. All supplemental cause of death forms shall be permanently attached to and made a part of the death certificate.10- 146 C.M.R. ch. 5, § 6