Whole Body Donation
Whole body donation—sometimes called donating your body to science—means giving your body after death to support medical education and research.
Unlike organ donation for transplant, this type of gift is used to train medical students, test new surgical techniques, and advance scientific understanding.
Who Can Donate?
Most adults can register for whole body donation, but each institution sets its own acceptance criteria.
- Age is rarely a barrier.
- Common reasons a body may not be accepted include certain infectious diseases (such as hepatitis or HIV), extreme obesity, traumatic injury, or death outside the program’s service area.
- Because these criteria vary, experts recommend making your wishes known in advance and letting the donation professionals decide at the time of death whether your body can be accepted.
Can You Donate Organs and Your Whole Body?
Sometimes.
Some programs will accept a body even after organs or tissues have been donated for transplant, while others will not. If you want to do both, ask the body donation program before registering to make sure it’s compatible with organ donation.
Is It Free?
It often is—but not always.
Many university-based programs cover all costs, including transportation and cremation, and return ashes to the family.
Others may require survivors to pay transportation or administrative fees.
Always confirm what’s included before registering so there are no surprises later.
How to Participate
- Choose a program.
- Many medical schools and universities have formal body donation programs.
- Some for-profit companies also accept donations for scientific research.
- Complete the registration process.
- Some programs require pre-registration and consent forms signed while you are alive.
- Others will accept authorization directly from your next of kin at the time of death.
- Inform your loved ones.
- Make sure your family or executor knows your wishes and how to contact the program.
- Keep a copy of your registration or donor card with your important papers.
Choosing a Legitimate Program
When evaluating an organization:
- Verify that it’s affiliated with a medical school or accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB).
- Avoid companies that seem vague about costs, research use, or cremation arrangements.
- You can search for accredited organizations through the AATB or contact your state’s anatomical board (often run by a university system).
After Donation
Once studies or training are complete, the body is usually cremated, and the ashes are either returned to the family or scattered in a memorial area, depending on the program. Some institutions also host annual remembrance ceremonies to honor donors and their families.
Where to Donate
University Donation Programs
Most U.S. medical schools have their own body donation programs.
The Anatomical Board of the State of Florida maintains a national list of universities that accept whole-body donations:
🔗 Visit the Anatomical Board’s list of programs
To participate, you must contact the program directly—registration and acceptance requirements vary by institution.
Independent and Private Programs
Anatomy Gifts Registry (Non-profit, Maryland)
Coverage: National network (specific service areas not listed)
Cost: Free transportation, cremation, and filing fees; small charge for returning ashes
Requirements: No upper age limit; most medical conditions accepted
Restrictions: Cannot accept donors with communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B or C, Tuberculosis, or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Notes: Families handle their own death certificate paperwork
MedCure (For-profit, Oregon-based)
Cost: Free—includes transport, cremation, one certified death certificate, and return of ashes or placement in an ossuary
Eligibility: No upper age limit; accepts most conditions
Restrictions: Will not accept donors with HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B or C, IV drug use, recent incarceration, or extreme body weight
Availability: All U.S. states except New Jersey, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Arkansas
Science Care (For-profit, Arizona-based)
Cost: Free—includes transport, cremation, death certificate, and return of remains
Eligibility: Likely no age limit; has a special program for hospice patients
Restrictions: Not clearly stated; acceptance based on internal criteria
Locations: Donation centers in AZ, CA, CO, FL, IL, PA, and soon TX; can reportedly accept donations from up to 46 states
Note: Provides limited public information compared with other programs