Donating a body to science is simple and helps scientific institutions conduct research and train future scientists. Laws require body donation in many countries, but it is illegal to sell bodies or body parts. Enrolling in a voluntary body donation program requires registration paperwork, and the institution usually handles embalming and transportation. Bodies may be rejected if they are damaged or have been autopsied. Organ donation and anatomical gifts are usually not possible together.
The process required to donate a body to science is relatively simple. Scientific institutions are in urgent need of anatomical donations to conduct research, train the next generation of scientists, and do things like conduct safety tests. Donating a body to science allows someone to contribute to society after death.
Many countries have laws requiring body donation, such as the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act in the United States. It is generally not legal to sell bodies or body parts, although the recipient of the body will handle the expenses associated with storing and disposing of the body. Family members or estate will still be charged for things like medical care before the death and sometimes even transportation of the body.
One option is to choose to donate an organism to a specific institution. People can call or write research institutes or universities to inquire about their volunteer corps program, or they can do a search for a region and “volunteer corps program” to see what programs are available in their area. As a rule, such programs prefer anatomical gifts that are nearby, so they can quickly transport the body. For example, someone living in Illinois should donate to Illinois institutions, not to an institution in California. Another option is to register with an anatomical donation registry, rather than a specific institution, with the registry directing the body to an institution that can use it after death.
To enroll in a voluntary body donate program for science, someone must fill out registration paperwork indicating they wish to give an anatomical gift and consent. The institution will provide examples of the type of research it does to give donors an idea of how their bodies may be used, but as a general rule, people cannot specify how their bodies may be used. It is also advisable to inform family members and your doctor so that they are aware of your intention to donate. Signed documents should be kept with the donor’s will and other important documents so they are immediately accessible after death.
When donating a body to science, the institution usually wants to do the embalming and other treatments. The organization should be notified as soon as possible after the death so that arrangements can be made for transportation. At the end of the search, the body is cremated and the ashes can be respectfully disposed of at the institution or, upon request, returned to the family.
People interested in giving an anatomical gift should be aware that wanted bodies are sometimes rejected. If the corpses sustained substantial damage or the person died of a communicable disease, the body may be rejected. Likewise, bodies that have been autopsied are often rejected. Therefore, it’s a good idea to make alternate arrangements before death in case you can’t donate a body to science.
Finally, it is usually not possible to participate in an organ donation program and give an anatomical gift, because scientific institutions and medical schools usually want whole bodies. Some may accept a body if it has been used for cornea donation, but other types of organ donation are not an option. For people who want to save lives with organ donation and promote scientific causes, one option is to donate organs through an organ donation program and donate your brain to a brain bank for scientific study.
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