Who can donate?

Competent persons over 18 years of age can arrange to donate their bodies for medical education and research.

Does registration insure that my body will be accepted at the time of my death?

No. Brown reserves the right to decline a donation at the time of death if the remains are deemed unsuitable for educational purposes, or if the number of donations exceeds Brown’s ability to accommodate them. For example, a body is unsuitable for study if it has been autopsied or embalmed. Additional conditions that may render a body unsuitable include: a communicable disease or extensive trauma at the time of death, and extreme obesity or malnutrition.

How long can a donation be used for educational purposes?

A donation may take up to 3 years for anatomical studies to be completed. The body is then cremated, and the cremains are returned to the next of kin, or to the person designated on the donor form.

May I withdraw at any time?

Yes. Please notify us in writing that you wish to withdraw from the program.

What about autopsies or organ donations?

In order for us to accept a body, the body must remain intact after death. We cannot accept a body donation if an autopsy has been performed or if organs have been removed.

Does Brown perform autopsies?

We do not perform autopsies nor are we able to provide a medical report.