If you are considering whether to become an organ donor vs. donating your body to science, you may be aware of the pros and cons of organ donation, but not so much about why body donation is important. Many people are aware of organ donation and have already signed up. Fewer know about how body donation programs work and the crucial role they play in medical science, research, and education.
In this article, medical professionals from various institutions discuss the importance of whole body donation.
Medical Testing and Research
There is no substitute for human bodies when it comes to medical testing and research.
Currently, much of the testing is done on animals. Not only are animals harmed, but the results are not always effective. Take the example of Alzheimer’s research. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine reports that “a staggering 99.6 percent of Alzheimer’s disease drugs that succeed in animal experiments fail in humans. A transition to human-relevant research methods may help lead to the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer’s.”
“The shift in research from mice to humans, and from an overemphasis on drugs to studies on prevention, will not only mean that millions of animals can breathe a sigh of relief. It will mean that the generation now reaching older age will have power against Alzheimer’s,” said Neal Barnard, M.D. and President of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM).
Human bodies and tissues become crucial for overcoming these challenges.
“As the limitations of nonhuman research methods hinder biomedical advancement, the unharnessed potential of human tissue becomes undeniable,” said Janine McCarthy, MPH, research policy specialist with PCRM.
Medical Training and Education
In physician education and surgical training, human bodies play a critical role.
“The experience of working with the cadaver is extremely valuable—years later, many physicians talk about the important lessons they learned in the anatomy lab,” said Andrew Corson, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine.
“(Body donation) is fundamental, not just to the education of our medical students, but it’s also pivotal in the advancements of medical research and surgical training,” said Dr. William Albabish, Assistant Professor of Surgery and Director of Anatomy at the Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. “Real human donors offer an unparalleled resource for learning and practice.”
Dr. Albabish puts it bluntly. Without body donations, “our healthcare is going to suffer.”
Students are especially appreciative of the opportunity for hands-on training that they would not otherwise receive. Claire, a student at the Medical College of Wisconsin, said, “There are no words to express the gift that the donors and their families gave and the impact they had on our medical education and our future careers.” Another student in the program, Brian, put it this way: “Our bodies are our dearest possession, and to agree to be a donor, knowing the consequences makes these people real-life heroes to me.”
Students learn more than just techniques and human anatomy. “I think one thing students learn from our donors is empathy. That’s their first patient, so they learn the idea of working with individuals, working with someone very selfless to be able to give that gift to them,” Dr. Melissa Quinn, PhD, clinical assistant professor and director of outreach and community programming in the Division of Anatomy at the Ohio State College of Medicine. “Understanding the humanistic component of who we are through our donors is important. It’s not just about learning the parts of the heart or the brain, but also what it means to be human.”
Whole-body donations make a far-reaching and lasting impact.
“Hearing from the students and talking to the families of donors really hits home the significance of what their loved one has done and the impact it’s having,” said Danielle Davis, MS, director of anatomical services at Ohio State College of Medicine.
Organ Donor vs. Donating Your Body to Science
There are pros and cons of organ donation and making a whole body donation, but both are important. Organ donations can lead to life-saving transplants and improve the quality of life for others. Body donations helps train doctors and surgeons, develop new therapies and treatments, and produce medical breakthroughs that can cure diseases.
People can be an organ donor and a body donor to science. Doctors will prioritize life-saving transplants after passing, and medical researchers and students can use the bodies after organ donation is complete.
Sign up to become an organ donor. Pledge yourself or register a loved one to become a whole body donor in Nevada, Arizona, or Florida with United Tissue Network.
Call United Tissue Network at 877-738-6111 to learn more about whole body donation.
