Human body donation to science is the most thoughtful way of leaving the world knowing that you are contributing to medical research and humanity. But, even if you wish your body to be used for beneficial purposes after donation, it may be rejected at the last moment. Let us learn the reasons why a whole-body donation may be rejected.
Age
Age is rarely a factor in whole-body donation, unlike organ donation. All people above 18 years are eligible for human body donation to science since there is no upper age limit. People who are very ill can also be eligible for body donation since researchers look for donors with specific diseases or medical conditions.
However, an individual may not be eligible for whole-body donation after an organ donation or if they have certain diseases, which we will discuss later. Hence, this should be confirmed with the respective organization before registering for a whole-body donation. Though it is not necessary to register in advance, it can be useful to connect with the organization or medical college in advance to ensure that there is no confusion and arrangements can be made quickly after the person passes away.
What Conditions Can Prevent a Person from a Whole-Body Donation?
Most organizations do not accept bodies donated for disease research. However, there can be allowances made to accommodate the requests. The body donation may also be denied if the potential has an infectious or contagious disease like hepatitis B or C, HIV/AIDS, and prion diseases. The body may also be rejected if the next of kin objects to the donation of the body or if the body has been autopsied, mutilated, or decomposed. The body may also not be acceptable for anatomical study. If no donations are needed at the time, the body may be denied for donation. Hence, it is suggested to all potential donors to have an alternate plan in case teh donation is not accepted.
What are the Acceptance Criteria?
The acceptance is usually based on three factors: authorization, conditions of the donor after death, and reporting of the death of the donor.
- Authorization includes proper authorization by the person or legal next of kin with legal rights of disposition. So, if the next of kin opposes the donation, teh donation may not occur. Also, if the authorizing party is not a legal next of kin, proper documentation should be presented before acceptance. The documentation should be shown to the organization within 24 hours of the notification of death.
- Condition of the donor after death: severe obesity with a body mass index greater than 28-30% can be a reason for the unacceptable donation. Other conditions include infectious diseases such as syphilis, hepatitis B or C, MRSA, HIV AIDS, C-Diff, VRE, Tuberculosis, sepsis, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, visible lesions or any prion diseases; jaundice if related to a contagious disease like hepatitis, removal of tissues and organs after death for transplant; stage 3 or above infected wounds or decubitus ulcers. The person may also not be eligible for whole-body donation if the body has been autopsied, mutilated, decomposed, or not refrigerated within four hours of death. However, some conditions will be considered and acceptable depending on the severity of the condition and the current need for user programs. These conditions include general ascites or edema, amputations of whole limbs, contractures of the spine or appendages, unhealed or open wounds, or recent surgeries.
- Reporting of the death of the donor: the report of a person’s death should occur within 24 hours of death, the body should be placed within refrigeration within four hours of death, last seen alive time should not be more than four hours from the time discovered, authorization from the next of kin should be received within 24 hours of notification death, and the healthcare and information required for the determination of donor acceptance should be completed within 24 hours of notification of death.
Other reasons for rejection of whole body donation may be due to the donor not indicating a desire to donate or not having a dedicated form if the death is caused by suicide, homicide, or severe trauma like burning, vehicle accident, or drowning. However, the body can be accepted for donation if the donor has donated their brain to the Brain Resource Program for studying Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, or Parkinson’s disease.
Other Things to Know
Remember that the donors’ estate is responsible for all costs of transportation, interment, cremation, and shipping of the last remains. If the donor has pre-paid all the expenses and cannot donate for any reason, the amount will be refunded to the next of kin. However, the refund requires proof like a death certificate, power of attorney, or proof of relationship with the donor. Unclaimed bodies are embalmed and held for 60 days before study. Other bodies are used in a course or special project immediately upon receipt.
To Sum Up
Two of the most common reasons why whole-body donations are not accepted are obesity and a history of contagious diseases. You should also remember that all programs accept bodies for only anatomical study and educational use. Utilizing the body for research or disease processes occurs very rarely.