Alzheimer's disease, related disorders, listing as secondary cause of death

1. a. Alzheimer's disease and related disorders may be listed as a secondary cause of death on a certification of death in any case in which: (1) the deceased person is diagnosed as having Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder; and (2) it is determined, in accordance with currently accepted medical standards and with a reasonable degree of medical certainty, that Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder was a significant contributing cause of the person's death. b. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require any person to list Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder as a secondary cause of death, and no person shall be subject to any criminal or civil liability or any professional disciplinary action under Title 45 of the Revised Statutes for listing or failing to list Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder as a secondary cause of death on a certification of death. c. As used in this section, "Alzheimer's disease and related disorders" means forms of dementia characterized by a general loss of intellectual abilities of sufficient severity to interfere with social or occupational functioning.