Just about anyone can donate their body to science regardless of age or medical conditions. Very few medical conditions would prohibit a person from donation for research and medical education purposes. Many of the common diseases that would not allow a person to be a donor for transplantation are acceptable for donation to research and education. Those not eligible for donation are individuals afflicted with:

Active Rabies
AIDS/HIV I / II
Necrotizing Fasciitis
Viral Meningitis
Hepatitis B & C
Hantavirus
Active Viral Influenza
Ebola Virus Infection
Cholera
Diptheria
Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (CJD)
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)
Encephalitis of unknown origin
Body weight over 300 lbs.
Severe Malnutrition

Simply call (602) 494-4272 or toll free at (866) 794-4272 for BRC of Arizona or (847) 698-5800 or toll free at (877) 698-5855 for BRC of Illinois. If you are currently under hospice care we would be happy to arrange a meeting in person with one of our Donor Services Coordinators who will assist you through the process. If you are in good health and making preparations in advance we would be happy to mail you a consent packet to be filled out at your convenience. Our Donor Services Coordinators are available 24 hours every day of the year to assist you.

There is no cost associated with the donation process for the donor or his/her family. Universities, researchers, and medical educators fund the costs associated with the donation process. These associated costs include transportation of the donor to Biological Resource Center's laboratory for serological testing, tissue procurement, preparation and filing of the death certificate and the cremation of the body. Cost for certified copies of death certificates would be the responsibility of the donor's family. Currently in Arizona, certified copies of death certificates are $10.00 per copy. In Illinois, certified copies of death certificates differ in cost depending on the city and county where death took place.

Following the cremation process, the donor's cremated remains are carefully placed within an urn for keepsake and returned to your family within 1-3 weeks following the donation process (on average 7-10 days). If the donor's family resides in Arizona, a Biological Resource Center staff member will hand deliver them directly to the family's home. If the donor's family resides outside of Arizona, the urn will be sent registered mail through the United States Postal Service. In Illinois, if the donor's family resides within 50 miles from BRC of Illinois a staff member will hand deliver the cremated remains. If they reside outside the 50 mile radius of BRC of Illinois, the cremated remains will be sent registered mail through the United States Postal Service.

Researchers utilize human organs and tissues to study specific disease processes, develop and test treatments, develop new and exicting surgical techniques, assist in the creation of progressive medical devices and create new therapies to alliviate the suffering of the medically afflicted. The availability of human tissues can help identify dangerous drug interactions and accelerate the discovery of treatments and cures for diseases. Currently, there is no viable substitute for human tissue in these endeavors.

The following is the legal heirarchy of persons authorized to consent for donation:

ARIZONA CONSENTING AUTHORITY
Self consent prior to death
Medical power of attorney
Court appointed guardian
Spouse
Adult son or daughter
Parent
Domestic partner
Adult sibling
Close friend

ILLINOIS CONSENTING AUTHORITY
Self consent prior to death
Medical power of attorney
The decedent's surrogate decision maker (in accordance with The Healthcare Surrogate Act)
The guardian of the decedent's person at the time of death
Spouse
Adult son or daughter
Parent
Adult sibling
Adult grandchild
Close friend
The guardian of the decedent's estate

An autopsy would not prohibit the donation for medical research and education. These situations require further information obtained from the medical examiner about the time lapsed from the time of death and the overall condition of the body.

Transplant donation always takes priority over donation for medical research and education. Transplant donation would not prohibit donation for medical research and education. Biological Resource Center would work with the hospital or transplant organization to ensure that the donor and donor's family are well informed of the process. Because donation for transplant has an immediate impact on a patient's life it shall always take priority.

No, Biological Resource Center abides strictly by both the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (UAGA) and Title III of the National Organ Transplant Act, which prohibit the buying and selling of human organs and tissues.

Yes. At any time after pre-registration with Biological Resource Center you decide to make other arrangements, simply notify us in writing, by email or a simple phone call and we will send the paperwork back to you or make arrangements to destroy it at your request.

You have the opportunity to become a pre-registered donor with Biological Resource Center at anytime. With this option the consent form is obtained and donor cards are issued to you to carry in your purse or wallet. The other option would be to inform your family of your wishes and at the time of your passing the consent form along with the required paperwork would be obtained from your legal next of kin.

The need for diseased or normal tissues is determined by the current scientific requests from medical educators and researchers. Biological Resource Center cannot guarantee specific requests from donors or their families. We will make every effort to accommodate and honor these requests on an individual basis.