Tarrant County in Texas has decided to stop giving unclaimed bodies to a local medical school without families’ consent. This decision came after an NBC News investigation revealed how the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth used the remains of hundreds of unclaimed people for various purposes. The county, along with Dallas County, saved money in burial and cremation costs by sending unclaimed bodies to the medical school. The county commissioners voted to change this practice to ensure ethical treatment of the deceased individuals.
The county will now be responsible for contacting dead people’s families and cremating their remains, which is estimated to cost $675,000 a year. The new policy requires that all efforts be made to locate and notify relatives before bodies are declared unclaimed. Only after 11 days have passed since the individuals’ deaths can the county proceed with cremation or burial. Preference is given to cremation, but burial is allowed under certain circumstances, such as if the individuals are unidentified or veterans, or if their families object to cremation. The policy also emphasizes consideration of the dead people’s religion.
The changes in policy were prompted by the “Dealing the Dead” series, which highlighted the potential ethical issues with using unclaimed bodies for medical research without consent. Bioethicist Eli Shupe from the University of Texas at Arlington had advocated for stopping the practice of providing unclaimed bodies to the Health Science Center. Many body donation programs have ceased this practice, and some states have banned it, signaling a shift towards treating human specimens with more dignity. The new policy reflects a more ethical approach to handling unclaimed bodies in Tarrant County.
The NBC News investigation revealed that the Health Science Center had received thousands of unclaimed bodies from Tarrant and Dallas counties over the years. These bodies were utilized for various purposes and leased out to different entities. Families of deceased individuals, such as Tim Leggett, were unaware that their loved ones’ bodies were being dissected for research purposes by the medical school. While Tim was relieved to hear about the new policy implemented by Tarrant County, he remains angry at being kept in the dark about what had happened to his brother’s body. He stressed the importance of families being informed and involved in the decision-making process regarding the handling of unclaimed bodies.
The revamped rules put in place by Tarrant County aim to improve the ethical oversight and treatment of unclaimed bodies. The county now takes responsibility for contacting families, documenting these efforts, and ensuring that cremation or burial is done in accordance with the wishes or beliefs of the deceased individuals. The county’s top elected official emphasized the importance of honoring the memory and dignity of the deceased individuals they are responsible for handling after their passing. The policy change represents a step towards more ethical practices in dealing with unclaimed bodies for medical research purposes.
The County Commissioners Court voted unanimously to adopt the new policy, which involves a multi-step process to locate and notify deceased individuals’ families before proceeding with cremation or burial. The policy also involves oversight from various agencies to ensure that all efforts are made to contact relatives before declaring bodies unclaimed. While the cost implications of the new policy were not publicly discussed, the emphasis was on treating the deceased individuals with respect and dignity. The changes reflect a commitment to ethical standards in handling unclaimed bodies and represent a significant shift in the approach to this practice in Tarrant County.
