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What Are the Advantages of Cadaver Donation?

Almost anyone can choose to have her body donated to science upon death. Benefits include advances in research, education and a feeling of doing something useful for the future.

  1. Education

    • Bodies play an important role in medical and scientific education. Without bodies, surgeons cannot learn to cut accurately. Students of law enforcement and medicine cannot learn anatomy.

    Research

    • Research done on bodies can help make improvements in treatment and help scientists to understand disease, thus developing better cures.

    Organs

    • A body can yield many parts that can help others to see, live and heal. A tragic death can be turned into something that honors the deceased. Organs can also be preserved to teach students.

    Cost

    • Donating a body to science is the least expensive way to dispose of a dead body. Generally, the collecting organization pays for collection; only disposal and return of remains is paid by the family.

    Process

    • The American Association of Tissue Banks can provide a list of suitable organizations for cadaver donation. The donor or the next of kin may provide consent.

    Interesting Fact

    • In the late 19th century medical science was developing so fast that there were not enough bodies to study. Grave-robbing became a gruesome, black-market way to find bodies for study.

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