How often are central registries required to conduct a death clearance?

Central registries are required to conduct a death clearance annually to ensure that they maintain accurate and up-to-date mortality data within their cancer registries. This process involves verifying the death status of patients whose cases are recorded, which is crucial for the overall quality of the data collected. It allows registries to identify and record vital information about patients who have died, ensuring compliance with reporting standards and improving the accuracy of cancer statistics.

Regular death clearance helps in the timely identification of discrepancies and potential gaps in data, enabling registries to maintain a credible database that reflects the true cancer burden in the population. The annual requirement underscores the importance of safeguarding data integrity and enhances the utility of cancer registry information for research, epidemiology, and public health decision-making.