The lack of legal protections in the United States to prevent commercializing the dead for education and research: Consequences and risks to anatomists

A lack of minimum legal standards for body donation programs undermines recent strides by anatomy professionals to promote ethical best practices in the United States (US). In particular, the commercialization of the dead by nontransplant tissue banks poses a risk to the public trust in academic body donation programs. The Uniform Anatomical Gift Act was created in the 1960s allowing for an anatomical gift to be made for transplantation, therapy, education, and research. It originally did not prohibit the buying and selling of human remains; later, it was only prohibited for transplantation and therapy. This allowed in the 1990s for a lucrative industry to grow as bioskills training for medical device companies developed. Attempts to hold unethical actors accountable through court cases have been limited due to a lack of national laws and jurisdiction issues. Despite the scandals associated with nontransplant tissue banks, no recent legislation has banned the commercialization of the dead for education and research. Recommendations for new US legislation include having a national registry of body donation programs, registrants, and other technical topics. However, few recommendations exist that focus on ethical finances and directly address commercialization. Anatomists, ethicists, and those in anatomical services should develop ethical financial models in body donation programs that can be used to inform recommended minimal national legal standards in the US.