Donating Your Body To Medical Science through The ...

[Pages:3]DonatingYourBodyToMedicalSciencethroughTheUniversityofTennesseeHealth ScienceCenter,CollegeofMedicine,DepartmentofAnatomyandNeurobiology

ThatOthersMayLive... THEPROBLEM

Examinationofthedeadtogainknowledgeofthelivinghasbeenpracticedsince ancienttimes.Today,knowledgeofthehumanbodyobtainedbystudyofthedeadis absolutelyindispensabletotheeducationoftomorrow'sphysicians,dentistsandotherhealth careprofessionalsandtobiomedicalresearch.Foritscurrentprograms,TheUniversityof TennesseeHealthScienceCenterneedsmorethan100bodieseachyearfromtheover5,000 residentsofTennesseeandnearbystateswhodieannually.

InTennessee,asinotherstates,thebodiesofthosethatareunclaimedbyrelativesare allocatedbylawtomedicalinstitutions.Butmostpeoplecanaffordconventionalfuneral procedures,andvarioussocialwelfareprogramsaidmostofthefewwhoneedhelp.Thus, therearenowalmostnounclaimedbodies,althoughtheincreasingneedforhealthcare workersrequiresmorebodiesforbiomedicaleducationandresearchthaneverbefore.

THESOLUTION Thesolutionliesintheincreasingnumberofpeoplewhochoosetogivetheirbodies,

afterdeath,tomedicalscience. Recognizingtheneedforsuchgifts,allstateshaveenacteduniformlegislationproviding

fororclarifyingtherightsofthosewhowishtodonateallorpartsoftheirbodiesafterdeathto theadvancementofmedicaleducation.Tennesseeadoptedoneofthefirstsuchlawsin1969. TheUniversityofTennesseeHealthScienceCenteroperateswithintheframeworkofthislaw andotherlegislation,andmakeseveryefforttoanswerafamily'squestionsorconcernswhen acceptingthegiftofabody.

THEDECISION Thedecisiontodonateone'sbodyformedicalteachingandresearchshouldbemade

onlyafteragreatdealofthought.Thoseconsideringsuchadonationshoulddiscussitwith theirfamiliesand,iftheychoose,withafamilyphysician,attorneyorclergyman.Failureto makethedecisionknowntoothersmaydefeatalladvancearrangementsmadebydonors. SOMECONSIDERATIONSINMAKINGYOURDECISION

Herearetheanswerstosomecommonquestionsaboutthepoliciesandpracticesofthe AnatomyBequestProgramatTheUniversityofTennesseeHealthScienceCenter.Ifyouhave otherquestions,pleasecontactusat:

AnatomicalBequestProgram DepartmentofAnatomyandNeurobiology

CollegeofMedicine TheUniversityofTennesseeHealthScienceCenter

855MonroeAvenue Memphis,Tennessee38163

Orbydialing: 901-448-5978(businesshours) 901-448-2640(afterhours)

 FREQUENTLYASKEDQUESTIONS Q: WhatifIchangemymindaftersigningpapersmakingthebequest? A: Simplywritestatingthatyouwishtorevokethebequest.TheUniversitywillcancelthe bequest,and,ifyousorequest,returnyoursignaturedocument. Q: WhatreassurancecanIgivemyfamilyconcerningthefinaldispositionofmybody? A: Afterourstudiesarecomplete-usually18ormoremonthsafterdeath-TheUniversity willcrematethebodyandhavetheashesinterredinalocalcemeteryatnocosttothedonor's familyorestate.Shouldspecialarrangements-suchasreturnoftheashesforprivateburial- bedesired,TheUniversitywillcooperate,butcannotpaycosts(includingtransportation)of sucharrangements. Q: Exceptforburial,canafuneralormemorialservicesbeheldpriortodeliveryofa body? A: Yes,eithertypemaybecarriedoutintheusualmanner.Thefuneraldirectormustcon- ferwithTheUniversityforspecialpreparationanddeliveryinstructions.SinceTheUniversity cannotassumefuneralormemorialcosts,allsuchexpensesmustbepaidbythedonor'sfamily orestate. Q: Whatcircumstancesmightcauserefusalofadonation? A: Afewcausesofdeathleadtorefusal.Theyincludeanexplosionoradestructive accident,orconditionsresultinginexcessiveobesityoremaciationmaymakeabodyunsuitable forourpurposes.Anautopsyorremovaloforgansotherthantheeyesalsomaymakeabody unacceptableforourprograms.TheUniversityreservestherighttorefuseanybequest. Q: WhatifadonordieswhilenotinTennessee? A: UsuallyTheUniversityisunabletobeartheaddedcostsfordonationsfromotherstates. Ifthesurvivorsorestatecannotpaythecostsofpreparationandtransfer,wecanfrequently arrangetotransferthebequesttoamedicalschoolinthestatewheredeathoccurred. Q: Whatexpensestofamilyorestateareconnectedwithdonatingone'sbody? A: None.Thatis,unlessdeathoccursoutsideofTennessee,oriftherearespecial arrangementsdepartingfromtheusualproceduresofTheUniversity. Q: Dodiseasesoradvancedagedestroytheusefulnessofthebody? A: No.Diseasesorageusuallyarenotfactorsforwholebodydonation,butarecritical factorsfortissueandorgandonation.Mostconditionsthatmaketissuesandorgansunsuitable fortransplantationdonotaffectanatomicalstudies. Q: Doesarrangingtodonateone'sbodyalsotakecareoforganandtissuedonation? A: No.Forcompleteanatomicalstudy,thebodyusuallymustbeintact.Removaloftissues ororgansfortransplantorbankingmakesthebodyunsuitableforteachingandresearch.The Universityreservestherighttodeclinethebequestifsuchproceduresmakethebodyvalueless forourstudies.Yourfamilyphysician(orTheUniversity)canadviseyouaboutcontactingtissue banksandorgantransplantationprogramsinyourarea. Q: Doesadonor'sfamilyreceiveareportoffindingswhenstudiesarecompleted? A: No.Thenatureofourstudiesmakesitimpracticaltoreportdetailstofamiliesortheir representatives.Similarly,althoughourutilizationofdonatedbodiescontributestoadvancesin biomedicalscience,wecannotguaranteethatanindividualdonationwillbeusedtoincrease knowledgeofanyparticulardiseaseorclinicalcondition. Q: Canabodydonationbemadeifarrangementswerenotcompletebeforedeath? A: Oftenitcan,ifrelativesknowandwanttocarryoutthewishesofthedeceased. However,thenext-of-kinmustcontactusassoonaspossibleafterdeath.IfTheUniversitydoes acceptthedonation,relativesmustsignaformreleasingthebodyforeducationandresearch. WhendeathoccursoutsideofShelbyCounty,donationsbynext-of-kinnormallyareaccepted

onlyifthecostsofspecialembalmingfollowingourprocedures,andtransfertoMemphisbya funeralhome,arepaidbythefamilyorestateofthedeceased. Q: Areanypaymentsmadefordonationofbodies? A: No.Actuallyitisillegaltobuyorsellhumanbodies.Forthosewhohavefiledbequests whileliving,TheUniversityusuallyassumesthecostsofspecialembalming,andtransportation frommostpartsofTennessee.Ifthedistanceisgreat,orifdeathoccursoutofTennessee,The Universitymaydeclinethebequestunlessthesurvivorsorestateofthedeceasedpayfor necessarypreparationandtransfer. Q: Mayfriendsand/orrelativesmakecontributionstotheAnatomyBequestProgram, DepartmentofAnatomyandNeurobiologyinmymemory? A: Yes.Giftswillbeacknowledgedforthedonorandtoyourfamily.Fundsfromsuchgifts willbeusedonlyformedicaleducationandresearch.

THEPROCEDURE Thedecisiontodonateone'sbodycanbecarriedoutbyproperlyexecutingand

returningtoTheUniversitysimpleformsthatareavailableonrequest.(Seeaddressandphone contactsonthebackofthispamphlet.)ThebequestbecomeseffectivewhenTheUniversity acknowledgesthedonationandsendsanidentificationcard.

Evenwhenabequestisfullydescribedinalastwillandtestament,signedbequest formsmustbereturnedtoTheUniversityofTennesseeHealthScienceCenter.Oftenawilldoes notreceiveconsiderationuntilfuneralandburialprocedureshavebeencompleted.The Universitydoesnotacceptbequestsmadeonformsotherthantheoneweprovide.

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