U.S. Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX) have reintroduced the Consensual Donation and Research Integrity Act, legislation designed to protect the dignity of individuals who donate their bodies for education or research and to prevent abuses by body brokers.
The Act aims to establish federal standards for the handling of donated bodies and body parts, including requirements for registration, inspection, chain of custody, labeling, packing, and proper disposition. It also proposes a registration and tracking system to prevent exploitation of donors and their families.
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The lawmakers highlighted the stark contrast between the heavily regulated organ and tissue donation process for transplantation and the largely unregulated industry of body donation for research and education.
Currently, in most states, the sale of human remains is legal, and there are few restrictions on who can dissect and sell human body parts. This lack of oversight has led to numerous disturbing incidents.
“This important legislation provides safeguards to ensure that human remains are disposed of in a manner that preserves the dignity and choices of the patient or next of kin,” said Rep. Bilirakis. “The industry has been largely unregulated and sadly many families have been exploited for profit. Our bill gives family members the peace of mind of knowing that their wishes are being honored.”
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Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher added, “Families who choose to donate a loved one’s body for scientific research or educational use do so believing that they are benefitting others and that their loved ones will be treated with dignity and respect. Sadly, many families have been taken advantage of by a largely unregulated industry. I am glad to partner with Congressman Bilirakis, Senator Murphy, and Senator Tillis to ensure that donor bodies are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve, while providing accountability and transparency.”
The legislation addresses the issue of body brokers who profit by selling bodies and dissected parts to companies and institutions for medical training, education, and research. These brokers can earn significant sums, ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 per body or its parts.
The Consensual Donation and Research Integrity Act would require anyone involved in acquiring or transferring human bodies or body parts for these purposes to register with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, maintain detailed records, ensure proper labeling and packaging, and arrange for the respectful disposal of the remains, typically by returning them to the donor’s family.
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The press release included examples of abuses that have occurred due to the lack of regulation:
- In 2016, over 20 bodies donated to an Arizona broker were used in U.S. Army blast experiments without the consent of the deceased or their families. Some donors or their families had explicitly objected to military experiments on consent forms.
- In Honolulu, police were called to storage facilities leased by a body broker on two occasions in 2011 and 2012, where they found decomposing human remains. However, no charges were filed because no state laws were violated.
- Health inspectors witnessed a man thawing a frozen human torso with a garden hose in the sun at Southern Nevada Donor Services. “Bits of tissue and blood were washed into the gutters.”
The Consensual Donation and Research Integrity Act of 2025 is supported by the National Funeral Directors Association.
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