The trade in US body parts that's completely legal - but ripe for exploitation

August 30, 2025

In the unregulated body broker industry in the United States, private companies legally acquire corpses, dissect them, and sell body parts for profit to medical research centers and universities, contrasting with European countries where such practices are outlawed. The Reuters investigation identified 25 for-profit "non-transplant tissue banks" in America, with one earning $12. 5 million over three years, taking advantage of regulatory gaps that allow charging for "processing" body parts while technically banning their sale.

Who is affected

Families of body donors like Farrah Fasold and Tim Leggett who discovered their loved ones' remains were mishandled
Unclaimed deceased individuals whose bodies are donated to science without proper attempts to locate relatives
Medical students and researchers who rely on cadavers for education and developing new treatments
Universities and medical schools facing shortages of donated bodies
Medical engineering firms that use body parts to test products like hip implants
For-profit body brokers operating in a loosely regulated environment
Patients who ultimately benefit from medical advances developed through cadaver research

What action is being taken

Some body brokers are voluntarily seeking accreditation from the American Association of Tissue Banks, with seven companies currently participating in this optional program
The University of North Texas Health Science Center is "refocusing" its program after controversies and has fired staff who oversaw the program
Case Western Reserve University is implementing virtual reality technology to replace human cadavers in medical training
Universities like the University of California continue operating non-profit anatomical donation programs with strict guidelines for handling remains
Journalists and researchers are investigating and exposing practices within the industry, such as Reuters' comprehensive investigation

Why it matters

Body donation is essential for medical education and developing new treatments like knee replacements, hip replacements, and pacemakers
The current regulatory gap in the US allows for potential exploitation of grieving families and disrespect for human remains
Financial incentives in the industry have led to questionable practices, including funeral homes receiving referral fees for connecting brokers to families
The US has become a global exporter of cadavers, shipping body parts to more than 50 countries due to shortages elsewhere
The ethical question of whether profiting from human remains compromises the altruistic nature of body donation remains unresolved
The dignity of the deceased and proper consent are at stake in this industry

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article, though experts suggest several potential solutions including stronger regulation, banning for-profit body broking in the US (similar to European countries), launching more robust campaigns for altruistic donation, and further development of virtual reality technology to potentially reduce reliance on cadavers.

Read full article from source: BBC