Donating a body to medical science in the UK
November 5, 2024 1:15 AM
My father is dying, currently in hospital but may move to a hospice. He has previously said consistently he would like to donate his body. That's not a decision he has capacity to make now, but we could make it for him. Does anyone have any experience of how this works in the UK, specifically England? We will of course talk to the hospital or hospice staff, but I wondered if anyone would be able to tell me how it had worked for their family or friends.
I have seen this previous question: What is the cheapest way to (legally) dispose of a body?, where some answers discuss donation, and I have also seen brainwave's excellent project Eldercare, Family Caretaking, and End-of-life Logistics: Stuff I Learned, but neither are UK-focussed. The hospital he is in now is a teaching hospital so I realise that is the option that makes sense if they will accept his body.
As well as logistics, interested in the emotional aspect - it is possible that one of his closest family won't be happy with the idea, in which case we probably wouldn't go ahead.
I have seen this previous question: What is the cheapest way to (legally) dispose of a body?, where some answers discuss donation, and I have also seen brainwave's excellent project Eldercare, Family Caretaking, and End-of-life Logistics: Stuff I Learned, but neither are UK-focussed. The hospital he is in now is a teaching hospital so I realise that is the option that makes sense if they will accept his body.
As well as logistics, interested in the emotional aspect - it is possible that one of his closest family won't be happy with the idea, in which case we probably wouldn't go ahead.
This post was deleted for the following reason: poster's request -- taz
He will need to consent to donating his body. There are many reasons that body donation programs require the donor's consent of sound mind. One is that it is common for family members to not understand or to disagree with a person's desire to donate their body.
Is the teaching hospital he's currently in associated with a university, perhaps one with a medical school? If so, there is a good chance that the uni has an anatomical donation program. Your best course would be to contact them, or find the nearest donation program, and talk to someone there about details. Body donation programs have various names: body donation, anatomical donation, anatomy office, willed body program, etc. Google the closest medical school and include a phrase like that. Someone at that program can answer all your questions much more specifically that we can.
posted by cyclopticgaze at 4:42 AM on November 5
Is the teaching hospital he's currently in associated with a university, perhaps one with a medical school? If so, there is a good chance that the uni has an anatomical donation program. Your best course would be to contact them, or find the nearest donation program, and talk to someone there about details. Body donation programs have various names: body donation, anatomical donation, anatomy office, willed body program, etc. Google the closest medical school and include a phrase like that. Someone at that program can answer all your questions much more specifically that we can.
posted by cyclopticgaze at 4:42 AM on November 5
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posted by london explorer girl at 2:54 AM on November 5