NADO Council Addresses Recent News Stories Regarding the Controversial Use of Unclaimed Decedents

The American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB’s) accredited non-transplant anatomical donation organizations, or NADOs, of the NADO Council would like to address the recent news stories involving the University of North Texas Health Science Center, which had been receiving unclaimed bodies and distributing specimens to various entities.
 
We would first like to remind the public of the critical importance of ethical and legal body donation for the advancement of medical science, research, and education. These donations are essential for providing both immediate and long-lasting educational opportunities for medical professionals to save lives and improve patient care. However, taking donations without the informed consent of the individual or their loved ones is unethical for a number of reasons, including that this could contradict their wishes and/or their deeply held beliefs. It is clear that the University of North Texas eventually came to the same conclusion and it has suspended its body program operations for the time being. Likewise, many entities that have been accepting unclaimed into their body donation programs are shifting their practices to meet current ethical considerations.
 
We would like to assure the public that accredited and licensed organizations, such as those listed on the AATB website, operate under strict guidelines to obtain informed consent or authorization from the donors themselves or their legally authorized loved ones for the donations. Furthermore, these organizations are also required to screen donors through interviews with knowledgeable historians and review of relevant medical records. Without this information, proper screening for relevant communicable diseases and prior medical procedures is not possible, leading to concerns over the safety and/or utility of specimens for intended purposes. 
 
It is our hope that people will still feel safe and secure in their informed decisions to donate to science through reputable organizations, which will ensure that these gifts are treated with the dignity and care they deserve and placed to worthy causes for the benefit of mankind.