Pennsylvania Statutes Title 35 P.S. Health and Safety § 450.502. Death and fetal death registration:  Information for certificates

(1) Personal information concerning the deceased or the fetal death shall be supplied by the person best acquainted with the facts.

(2) Subject to the limitation contained in clause (3), the medical certification, except in the event of a referral to the coroner pursuant to section five hundred three of this act, shall be supplied (i) in the case of a death, by the physician, certified registered nurse practitioner or physician assistant or (ii) dentist who is a staff member of an approved hospital who attended the deceased during the last illness, provided the death occurs in the hospital and the deceased had been admitted on the dental service, and (iii) in the case of a fetal death, by the attending physician, certified registered nurse practitioner or physician assistant.

(3) In all cases where the physician, certified registered nurse practitioner, physician assistant or dentist who would otherwise supply the medical certification is a member of the immediate family of the deceased, the case shall be referred to another physician, certified registered nurse practitioner, physician assistant or dentist who qualifies under clause (2) for a medical certification.  In the event a qualified alternate physician, certified registered nurse practitioner, physician assistant or dentist is unavailable or unwilling to provide the medical certification required by law, the case shall be referred to the coroner of the county wherein the death occurred or to a coroner of an adjacent county.  In no event shall a coroner sign a certificate of death or fetal death for a deceased who was a member of his immediate family.