How to Donate a Body to Medical Science
Donating your body to medical science is a great gift. Shortages of whole body donation are common, so donating your body can benefit generations to come. Procedures for body donation vary depending on which medical school or university you contact, and state and federal laws also affect the procedure. It is important to know the requirements as you move forward with the body donation process.
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Instructions
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Contact the anatomy department of a medical school or university of your choosing. The University of Florida State Anatomical Board maintains a list of body donation programs (see the Resources Section). Inform the school that you are interested in donating your body. The school will provide you with forms on which to state your desire to donate your body to the school and to give informed consent. Read the forms carefully to become familiar with the relevant law, procedures and policies.
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Obtain written consent from your family. If you have next of kin, at least one family member is required by law to provide written informed consent to donate your body. All family members must be in agreement, even though only one signature is required.
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Ask questions. It is important to know if there will be fees associated with your donation. You may want to ask what exactly the school does with donated bodies and how they will dispose of yours once they are finished with it.
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Make arrangements to notify your chosen university after your death. This will allow the school to examine the body and assess whether it can be accepted for donation. The university or school may also provide you with a wallet-sized card to carry around with you so that your intentions to donate your body are known.
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Send copies of your paperwork to your family members. They will have already been informed of and consented to the donation process, but it is important for them to have copies of the crucial documents. Let them know that a memorial service can be held.
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Tips & Warnings
You may cancel your donation at any time by contacting the university where you registered. You can contact them by telephone or in writing. Many medical schools will refuse to accept a body as a donation depending upon the condition. Issues like obesity, extensive burns, amputation, decomposition and infectious diseases may require a medical school to reject a body. The body or the remains of the body are usually cremated after the school is finished with them. This may take up to 3 years. The ashes can be returned to the loved ones or it will be buried in a plot at the university in which it was used. An annual commemoration ceremony is usually held.
Laws governing full body donation may vary from state to state. Federal laws also apply. It would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with your own state's laws regarding body donation before you begin the process. Payment for body parts or a full body is illegal.
