Dear Doctors column January 7, 2008
Donating Your Body
Question: I am 73 years old and in reasonably good health. However, I want to make plans to donate my body to science, and particularly to UAB, after my death. Can you tell me how I can plan for this and make sure my wishes are followed?
Answer: No film, computer simulation, book, or lecture can substitute for hands-on study of the human body. Donation is a priceless gift of education to those studying to become doctors, nurses, and other health professionals. Donated bodies also are of immense value to researchers investigating new ways to prevent illness and treat disease.
Many states and medical schools have programs, often called anatomical donor or willed body programs, through which individuals can arrange to donate their body for scientific research after death. Procedures and policies vary from program to program. Individuals interested in donation should do some research to determine the program they wish to donate to as well as the steps they need to follow.
To search for information online, try googling “willed body program” or “anatomical donor program” plus the name of your state or of the institution you’d like to donate to. You also can contact the United Network for Organ Sharing, a national group that oversees organ transplantation procedures in the United States, for more information on donating your body.
In general, you’ll need to:
Ø Preregister your donation with a local medical school or state program. You'll be given a registration packet (often available online) that covers policies and procedures; read it carefully.
Ø Sign a consent form stating your desire to donate your body and put a copy of it with your will and other personal documents. You won't be listed as a donor until a completed form has been returned and acknowledged. You can cancel your decision at any time by notifying the program in writing.
Ø Arrange for the medical school or state program to be notified when you die so that your body can be properly transported and prepared.
Ø Carefully review the policies and procedures for the handling of your body after study. Most institutions will respectfully cremate your remains and return your ashes to your loved ones or inter them in a prespecified location.
Ø By law, medical schools are not permitted to purchase anyone's body and you should not expect to be paid for your donation. Some programs charge a fee for services such as: transportation from the site of death; specialized anatomical embalming procedures; and maintenance, cremation, and interment or return of ashes.
UAB’s Anatomical Donor Program explains its policies and procedures on its Web page, which also has a “Frequently Asked Questions” section as well as downloadable forms. Bodies donated to this program are prepared for long-term study by individuals who are preparing to enter one of the health professions. Bodies are occasionally used for research purposes.
UAB’s Anatomical Donor Program is one of several such programs in the state. Other programs you may wish to consider are:
Ø The Alabama Organ Center, whose mission is to provide families an opportunity to donate organs and tissues, to support these families regardless of their decision, and to promote equitable utilization of these gifts.
Ø The Alabama Eye Bank, dedicated to relieving suffering through the procurement, processing, and delivering of the highest quality human eye tissue for transplant, research, and teaching throughout Alabama and the world.
Ø The Alabama Kidney Foundation, a nonprofit, voluntary health agency dedicated to preventing and curing kidney disease in Alabama.
Ø The UAB Department of Neurology, whose Brain Resource Program undertakes research in order to better understand Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
Ø Persons living in south Alabama may wish to visit the Web page of the Anatomical Gifts Program at the University of South Alabama to review information on its willed body program.