So how’s it done? I’m interested in leaving my body to science since it’s much more productive than just mouldering in the ground. I’ve got the idea to donate it to a university, but would that work? I’ve been on a couple of websites and the closest thing I can find is human subject studies except those are for living subjects, not dead.
And as an aside, is it true some research groups will pay for your body? That interests me as well. I’m willing to be fully philanthropetic(?) but I’m not gonna pretend to have a heart of gold.
P.S.: If that’s not a word up there I’m making it one and I refuse to listen to reason.
In California, you can sign up to be an organ/body donor when you get your driver’s license, or online at DonateLifeCalifornia. Perhaps other states have similar setups?
The medical school will bill your estate for the transfer of your cadaver to their facility. Once there, any viable organs, retinas, etc. will be harvested and sold for profit. Medical students may or may not use the remains for study for a year or so, and then you’ll be cremated. If your family has made a specific request, your cremains will be returned to them at their expense.
Although my eventual donation, even as described above, still serves the general purpose of medicine, I’m still hoping to help more in research than in financing. So I’ve become more interested in donating to the nearest body farm.
