Evidence of point-of-care diagnostics in forensic death investigations: A scoping review

This review revealed challenges in ensuring the standardization, accuracy, and integration of POC diagnostics into established forensic practices. Further research is required to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy, cost-effectiveness, and performance of POC tools in forensic settings. Comprehensive guidelines and standardized operating procedures should be developed to ensure the successful implementation of POC diagnostics in forensic investigations. Given the limited and heterogeneous evidence, POC devices in forensic death investigations should be seen as preliminary aids rather than diagnostic instruments.