UTN is a Nonprofit 501(c)(3)

Whole-Body Donation

Donating your whole body to United Tissue Network (UTN) is a priceless gift to help advance medical technology, training, and education. When you give the gift of a body for science donation, you are directly helping medical researchers and doctors discover better ways to treat various illnesses and conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, liver disease, HIV, and more. 

Whole body donations provide invaluable human tissue for many important science-based programs, including medical school education and the research and development of drugs and medical devices. Human tissue donation helps advance the future of medicine in ways that would otherwise be impossible. 

Are you looking to make a difference for future generations? Pledge your donation today!

Ready to register a loved one?

Click the link below to get started:

CHOOSE AN ACCREDITED WHOLE BODY DONATION ORGANIZATION

When looking to create a lasting legacy through donating your body to science, you want an accredited body donation organization. At United Tissue Network, we are accredited by The American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB), a professional nonprofit scientific and educational organization that actively inspects and accredits Non-Transplant Anatomical Donation Organizations.

AATB accreditation means that donors and their families are treated with the utmost respect and consideration. UTN meets and exceeds all ethical standards set forth by the AATB, and our accreditation ensures that your generous donation will be placed with legitimate research and education programs.

Unlike some whole-body donation organizations, we are a non-profit, which means we do not make money from your generous donation. 

REGISTER FOR WHOLE BODY DONATION WITH UTN

You don’t have to wait until the end of your life to make a difference. If you know you want your body to help the advancement of medicine after you die, you can pledge your donation today.

Donating your body is easy, especially when you start the process early. The first step to becoming a donor is to pledge your intent and fill out our donor information questionnaire. This will only take a few minutes. Pledging your body for science donation does not guarantee your donation, but the information helps us complete future end-of-life documents, and it gives you and your loved ones further peace of mind at the end of your life. 

[whole-body-donation.jpg

Donating your body for science requires consent. By pledging to be a body donor today, you can let your family know your wishes in advance so there is no confusion upon your passing. If your loved ones are considering whole body donation, encourage them to register early, too. 

The health and safety of our medical professional partners are paramount. We thoroughly test our participant donors for all infectious diseases before placing tissue with any of our qualified organizations. In addition to this thorough screening process utilizing a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified laboratory, we also complete a thorough medical and social history for each donor. This medical background information includes past surgical history, cancer diagnoses, overall heart health, bone health (osteoporosis), and other key factors that are relevant to your donation. 

Rest assured that your personal information remains confidential to protect the donor and the donor’s family.

In addition to being a non-profit body donation organization, we are also a no-cost service. It will not cost you anything to donate your body to science through UTN. 

Through the generous contributions of our charitable partners, we can help our donors’ families with many of the costs associated with losing a loved one.

Here are some of the ways we can help make this process easier for your family: 

  • We remove your body from your place of passing
  • We transport your body to one of our facilities at no additional costs
  • In the state of Arizona, we send a certified death certificate (your family will receive two copies)  
  • We handle direct cremation and pay for associated fees

Once the program is completed, we cover the cost of cremation and can send the cremains to your family.

UTN donor program allows for each donor to be the underlying support for everyday lives, and there is no upper age limit to donate your body. Please note that at this time, we can only accept donations in Florida and Arizona. Certain criteria may exclude your donation, including infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS or hepatitis.

DONATE YOUR BODY TO SCIENCE WITH UNITED TISSUE NETWORK

scientist-behind-microscope

Many people think they are already registered for body donation when in fact, they are not. Whole body donation is different from organ donation. The organ donor symbol on your driver’s license does not give consent for whole-body donation. To donate your body to science after your death, you will need to make sure you are registered with both United Tissue Network and the organ donation organization.

Additionally, registering with UTN for whole-body donation does not prohibit a donor’s wish for organ donation. United Tissue Network will coordinate with the local organ procurement organization to ensure that all organs and tissue viable for transplant take first priority before transporting the donor to one of our facilities. This allows for the body donation to be completely utilized while honoring the wishes of the donor.

When you consent to organ and whole body donation, you truly are giving others the gift of life. 

If you have any questions about completing your donation pledge, please contact us. Our Donor Service Coordinators are available 24/7 to answer your questions. 

Ready to register a loved one?

Click the link below to get started: