For centuries, the sciences have depended upon the examination of dead bodies in order to promote medical advances and increase medical understanding. While donation of bodies to medical universities and institutions is now a normal, respected practice, it has only been this way for the past century. Changes in societal views and regulations of body dissection for medical advancement have resulted in the practice being more widely accepted and respected. Historically, body donation has gone in and out of favor in societies as outside factors influence how accepted the practice is. However, body donations have always been an important part of medical advances and research.
Using deceased human bodies to increase medical understanding has been around since the ancient Greek philosophers in 3rd century B.C. With changes in religious beliefs, it went out of favor for many centuries and then resurfaced in popularity in 14th century Italy. Since that time, it has been used to increase anatomical and medical understanding, and has become a widespread practice around the world. Unfortunately, in the 18th, 19th, and even 20th century, unethical acquisition of bodies became a common source of income among individuals and institutions such as hospitals, asylums and poor houses, leading to the need to develop laws and regulations in the funeral and medical industry. Furthermore, the desecration of minority group member’s bodies under the National Socialist regime in Germany led to globally reformed views on body dissection and the respect that should be afforded those bodies. While modern-day views, laws, and regulations have kept donated bodies better cared for, there are still some companies that do not follow the laws and regulations, a practice which calls for yet again, legal reform and stricter regulations.
The current laws and regulations concerning body donation are meant to protect a deceased person’s bodies from desecration, protect a family’s right to know how the donated body is being used, and ensure the return of the ashes to the family. Medical research institutions and universities are often heavily regulated and are a safe location to donate a body. The bodies are often only used for medical student anatomy classes and medical research. The universities disclose how the body will be used beforehand, and the cremated remains are returned to the family in a timely manner—often within just a few months.
Third party donation companies are not always a reliable source to donate a body, and in recent years, many companies are being sued for mismanaging donated bodies and selling body parts for profit. These practices are highly unethical and are causing many states to reform their laws and implement stricter regulations on third party donation companies. For this reason, as a society, we need to ask ourselves if these laws and regulations are doing enough to protect the donated bodies against mismanagement. Donated bodies are promoting the betterment of societies and saving lives, and because some companies do not respect these bodies, it is suggested that people only donate their bodies directly to reputable medical institutions.
Donating bodies to these medical institutions is a highly valued and respected practice. These institutions use the bodies to educate the next generation of medical professionals and to promote the development of life-saving treatments. In the medical community, donated bodies are highly respected and medical professionals are taught to honor the donated bodies and handle them with care. Medical departments across the world hold services to commemorate and thank those who have donated their bodies, and students are taught to develop appropriate conduct and sensitivities while handling the donated bodies. Those professionals and students handling the bodies are taught the importance of those who donated their bodies, and for this reason, the bodies are shown the utmost respect.
These values are only appropriate considering the deceased person’s contributions, and they should be implemented throughout the entire body donation industry. Other industry professionals also need to be taught the value of these bodies and the respect that they should always be shown. The deceased person’s families should also be shown this same level of respect. Body donations have increased medical understanding and treatment advancement for centuries. The selfless donation of millions of bodies has led to current life-saving treatments, and will undoubtedly lead to more. Body donating is a unique practice that impacts and benefits society in countless ways.
Blog Resources
https://medicine.utah.edu/neurobiology-anatomy/body-donor-program/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/body-donation/making-donation
https://www.sciencecare.com/how-does-the-body-donation-process-work/