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About Donating Your Body to Science

Whole body donation is sometimes used as an alternative to a funeral. It is far less expensive than the typical American funeral, which frequently costs as much as $10,000. Often people who desire cremation will choose to will their body to science instead, since cremation is still performed once the body has been used and the cremated remains are generally returned to the family.

  1. The Facts

    • Bodies donated to science must meet certain criteria. In general, they must be free from serious infectious diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, syphilis and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. They must also be in relatively good condition. The donor must not have been extremely obese or underweight; the body must not be decomposed; and the body must not be so seriously injured that it cannot be used. Additionally, if there is a suspicion of foul play regarding the cause of death, the body cannot be donated to science because it may be needed in a criminal investigation.

    Misconceptions

    • Although some people believe that you can be paid to donate your body to science, this is not true. In fact, there are usually fees associated with the process. The estate or family of the deceased must pay for processing paperwork related to the death certificate and for shipping if the cremated remains are to be returned. These fees typically total around $100, significantly less than a funeral or cremation. In some cases, fees are charged for transportation of the body as well; the total costs may then exceed the price of cremation performed by a funeral home.

    Function

    • Bodies that are donated to science are used for a variety of worthy purposes. There is a serious shortage of donated bodies, which creates problems when conducting anatomy classes in medical schools. At present, most anatomy students must share a cadaver with four or more other students. This limits the amount of hands-on training each student receives. Donated bodies are also used for medical research, developing new surgical techniques, training specialist physicians and in auto crash tests.

    Benefits

    • Donating your body to science helps educate new and experienced physicians alike and contributes to medical research. Indirectly, whole body donations save many lives and help improve the quality of medical care, particularly in surgical fields. Additionally, many people choose to will their bodies to science to reduce the emotional and financial stress to survivors; planning and paying for a funeral is not necessary if your body is accepted.

    Significance

    • People who are considering whole body donation are sometimes unsure of the implications of their choice. One common concern is whether organs can also be donated, thus saving lives directly. This is usually but not always possible; whether it is allowed depends on whether the organization the body will be donated to is able to use it after organs have been removed. Religious implications are a concern for some. However, the donation of tissue and organs is not only acceptable, but highly regarded, in most major religions. This includes Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and most Christian denominations.

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