LABJ FORUM – Cadavers and Commerce

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LABJ FORUM – Cadavers and Commerce

The director of UCLA’s body donation program was arrested this month on suspicion of illegal sales of body parts. The case has brought to light the complex ethics involved with the handling of the human body after death. While there is a shortage of cadavers and body parts for medical training and research, new technology allows simulated training and research that some say make cadaver research obsolete. So the Business Journal asks:

Would you donate your body to science?

Keith Jacoby

Shareholder

Littler Mendelson PC

My aunt donated her body to science when she died about two years ago. She had an interesting disease, and that showed me a commitment that impressed me. I would do the same. I suffer from Ankylosing Spondylitis, a rare form of arthritis. I would consider donating my body to research for that disease. I would check the documents, though, to make sure it goes to that purpose. The UCLA thing would discourage me from donating my body.

Ed Rodieck

Vice President

Whitmont Legal Technologies Inc.

Yes I would. Over the last 10 years or so, my wife and I decided that, because we had personal friends and family members who had cancer and other illnesses. We would have liked to see them be helped by having organs available for research or transplant. I’m on the fence a little about the cadaver thing. I’m not opposed to it, but I would have to understand better what is done to cadavers. I’m a big believer in research, as long as the body is used in a proper manner and not abused.

Christina Caberto

Social Services Provider

Upward Bound House

Yeah, I would. I deal with senior citizens so I have to discuss with them their options on a regular basis. I’ve only had one or two clients say that’s what they want to do, but they’re from an older generation and religious, so they have certain burial traditions they abide by. That’s not a factor for me. The UCLA thing doesn’t really make a difference to me. I figure if the whole scandal comes out, they’ll probably fix the problem before I’m dead.

Cyndi Arnett

Owner

Wizard Promotional Products

Yes. I had not thought about it or done anything about it before. The UCLA scandal made me think about donating my entire body to science. In the past I had been listed as a donor of my kidneys or heart or whatever. It just brought to my attention the need for donating your entire body for research and training doctors. If I donate my body, I won’t have to inspect all the fine print.

Alberto G. Alvarado

District Director

U.S. Small Business Administration

Yes. It’s important not to throw out the baby with the bathwater. If there’s a problem with something, it doesn’t mean the underlying concept is bad. It’s important to be disciplined in your evaluation, but that’s a way I could continue to contribute after I die. I’m 52, but I have not grappled with it yet. I would want to consult with my family. I have a young son and wife, and we’d definitely discuss it.

Elyse Eisenberg

Vice President, Worldwide Acquisitions

Warner Home Video

In the past, I’ve always checked the donor card on my driver license renewal. I’m not comfortable with the idea of my body being cut up by students, although I recognize the value, and I know it’s important for educational research. My father’s a surgeon, I understand the need for cadavers. If I were killed in a car accident, I’d volunteer my organs. Will I will my body to UCLA? I don’t think so.

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