Newspaper reports from the Coroners Court in Ireland are used to reveal the potential complexity and need for reform in forensic toxicology and medicine services

•Forensic medicine in coroners' courts often illuminates dark corners of life.•Inquests feature frequently in newspapers.•Forensic medicine and toxicology are often complex.•Drug toxicity, interactions, alcohol and allergy feature.•Myocardial infarction in a 17 year old – cause unknown.

Newspapers devote regular space to inquests in the public interest. Accuracy in determining the causes of death is important for public health. Expert opinion features prominently in press reports and is an important channel of public education. How expert are the experts and how complex are apparently simple cases? Toxicology cases involving cannabis and stroke, ‘junk food’ diet, unexplained sudden death, potential drug interactions, allergy during caesarean section, and ecstacy-type drugs are used to illustrate the complexities. A template for reform is suggested to reform the Coroners Laws in Ireland to recognise the complexity of forensic toxicology and medicine.