Bequeathing one’s body to science to advance research is now strictly regulated by law. A decree, which entered into force on April 29, specifies the various obligations incumbent on the centers benefiting from these donations: the collection of consent, the designation of a referent, and the free transport of the body (until then at the expense of the families ).
Within the 28 establishments concerned, it also imposes procedures for the reception and return of the remains or ashes (not all the centers return them to the families). And fixed the establishment of a “ethics, scientific and educational committee responsible for issuing an opinion on training programs and research projects requiring the use of donated bodies”.
The Paris-Descartes scandal, an electric shock
These new measures, in line with the bioethics law adopted in August 2021, come more than two years after the scandal of the discovery of a “mass grave” at the University of Paris-Descartes, which had caused great emotion. “Until now, each donation center operated with its own regulations and the legislation remained unclear. This is the first time that we will have a framework at the national levelrejoices Christophe Destrieux, professor of anatomy at the University of Tours and president of the Center-West Body Donations Association. This will obviously constrain us and weigh down our daily lives, but also avoid slippages. »
A framework that is all the more necessary since the use of human bodies, for research and teaching purposes, remains for the moment essential to science, recalls the researcher. “Of course, to train, train, practice, there are mannequins and computer simulators, but they are imperfect and cannot fully replace a real body. Medicine must be able to confront the truth on the ground. »
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On the side of the donors and their families, we also welcome progress ” indispensable “, as Mark A., member of the association Charnier Paris-Descartes Justice and Dignity for Donors (CDJD) points out. “For millennia, humans have paid great attention to respecting the dead and corpses. It was ethically inconceivable for skulls to serve as soccer balls for lab workers. This shouldn’t happen again.” he says, his voice suddenly trembling at the memory of the scenes reported within what was at the time a benchmark establishment.
The vagueness around funding
The decree, however, leaves some crucial questions unanswered. “There are still some shortcomings in the text of the law, particularly with regard to funding, points out however Christophe Destrieux. The text states that the donation of the body is free, which is very good, but the problem is that transport is expensive, between 1,200 and 1,300 €. In Tours, we receive 250 bodies a year, which ultimately represents a significant sum. Where to find it? We hope to receive a budget specifically allocated by the ministry. »
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Within CDJD, Mark himself has reservations about the evaluation methods that will be put in place. “Will there be random checks? This is a crucial point to ensure that a constant level of quality is maintained.» As it stands, the text merely specifies that any establishment receiving a body donation must be able to provide information to its supervisory authority, “at any time”.