Dear Nicolas, 

you may not expect an awnser to your question from a biomedical science student, but before starting my masters degree I worked as logistics and quality manager at the anatomy department of a Belgian university for 4 years, handling both telephone calls as well as the intake, embalming and processing of bodies donated to science. So I think I can provide a fairly detailed awnser to your question. One thing you should probably keep in mind is that I will describe protocols based on the Belgian legislation and the required documents may vary based on the laws in your country.

First of all, I should mention that our university website has a page specifically providing information for body donation. Documents that can be found here explain the procedures that relatives have to follow (who to contact and what to ask them) when the time comes and another important document that can be found here is a template for a 'last will to donate your body to science'. This template contains all terms the university agrees to uphold upon excepting a body donation registration. For our university this concretely means that the anatomy department will provide donors with a standard coffin, will provide transportation of the body free of charge within a range of 100 kilometers of the univeristy.  Finally, when the body leaves the anatomy department again, transportation will be provided to the cemetery or the cremation center (free of charge within the 100 kilometer radius). On the template there is a possibility to mark wether the donor wishes to be cremated or buried afterwards and the donor can provide the contact information of a relative if they wish to be notified when the body will be brought to the cemetery/cremation center. In Belgium, this regulation allows for a burial that is free of charge if no extra services are required from a funeral director and the donor expires within the 100 kilometer radius from the university. In Belgium, cremation itself costs a set amount, but the donor and family are free to choose and arrange this with a funeral director.  

Bringing us to a second important point to facilitate body donation: the availability of a funeral director that works together with the anatomy department and takes care of the transportation of the body. When the family prefers, they can also use the services provided by our funeral director to arrange the necessary paperwork/cremation or any other kind of services that the family wishes. These extra requirements are outside of the scope of the body donation programme, so the extra costs are for the family's expense and they are handled by the funeral director. Of course some people have a preferred funeral director from the town they live in or they may have an insurance policy for their funeral. The anatomy department will of course support the choice of the family, but at the same time make sure that the family is informed that we will only take care of the transportation cost when our own funeral director transports the body. If the family wishes to choose a coffin themselves, instead of the standard coffin the anatomy department provides, they are of course free to do so at their own expense. This arrangement will mean cooperation between funeral directors and the funeral director of the anatomy department and in most cases this means that the family says their goodbyes in the funeral house of the funeral director of their choosing and afterwards the funeral director from the anatomy department will pick up the body there and transport it to the university.

When the body is ready to leave the anatomy department and there are relatives that wish to be informed, the anatomy department will do so when the time comes and at the same time we inform the funeral director of the families choosing. Like this, the family is able to plan a last goodbye (if desired) and we can inform our funeral director of the time and place for the burial/cremation, so the transportation of the body can be coordinated.       

Because body donation is mostly concidered by the elderly, it is important that the website is as user friendly as possible, even for people that do not regularly use a computer. Beside the detailed explanation the anatom department also has a phone number dedicated to questions about body donations. This number is available 24/7 for any and all questions regarding body donations and via this route people can also request a paper version of the documents displayed on the website. The paper version also contains the template for the 'last will to donate your body to science' which is drafted so the donor only needs to fill in their name and signature and the contact information of a relative in case someone wishes to be notified when the body is ready to be released. The normal requirements for body donation are a handwritten last will to donate your body to science, but elderly people sometimes have trouble writing, so we also except this template with the minimum amount of handwritten information as well. A last possibility is that the family knows that a deceased family member always had the wish to donate their body to science, but they never explicitly expressed it to our department. If this is the case and all family members agree, a close relative can also fill out the 'last will to donate your body to science' in the name of the family member.

What happens practically when someone calls to report the passing of a body donor is the following. After confirming the donor is indeed registered in the donor database, the person that is on call explains all the procedures as listed on the website again and notes the following important things on a template used for this:

* name of the donor (and confirm the donor being in the donor register)

* name and number of the person that calls

* does the caller want to be notified when the body is ready to leave the anatomy department

* does the family wish to appoint a funeral director, if so name, number and address of the funeral director 

* the location where the body is located or where the body will have to be transported from

* the body needs to be at the anatomy department within 48 hours of passing away, so inform if the family wishes to pay their respects and ask that the funeral director or a family member notifies you when the body can be transported

* If the person that calls is not a funeral director or a relative (hospital or nursing home staff) ask for the phone number of a relative to confirm the above questions

* Finally, the minimum requirement for transporting the body is a document drafted by the medical examiner confirming that the donor has passed away and that it was not a suspicious death. Explain to the family/hospital staff how this document is obtained or inform the caller that they can also appoint a funeral director for this purpose. 

* After the initial call, notify the funeral director that cooperates with the anatomy department to notify them that there will be a donor that needs to be transported. Also inform the funeral director of the location of the body and the phone number of the funeral director that the family chose if this applies.

The funeral director has 24/7 access to the anatomy lab and they are able to deliver the body at the anatomy department and into a fridge for storage.

When the body arrives at the lab, the paperwork is collected, a toe  tag is prepared for identification and a file is created for the donor containing all the relevant information mentioned above. Bodies are also examined for scars indicating prior surgeries and a standard for to indicate surgical procedures is added to the file of the donor. After completing the paperwork the body is embalmed.

I hope this helps and please feel free to ask additional questions.

Kind regards,

Michael  

 Hi you may also check;

The legal and ethical framework governing Body Donation in Europe - A review of current practice and recommendations for good practice. McHanwell S., Brenner E., Chirculescu A.R.M., Drukker J., van Mameren H., Mazzotti G., Pais D., Paulsen F., Plaisant O., Caillaud M.M., Laforet E., Riedere B.M., Sanudo J.R., Bueno-Lopez J.L., Donate-Oliver F., Sprumont P., Teofilovski-Parapid G., Moxham B.J. Eur J Anat, 12 (1): 1-24 (2008).

The legal and ethical framework governing Body Donation in Europe - 1st update on current practice. Riederer, B.M.; Bolt, S.H. ; Brenner, E.; Bueno-López, J.L.; Circulescu, A.R.M.; Davies, D.C.; Caro, R. de; Gerrits, P.O.; McHanwell, S.; Pais, D.; Paulsen, F.; Plaisant, O.; Sendemir, E.; Stabile, I.; Moxham, B.J. European Journal of Anatomy, vol. 16, iss. 1, (2012), pp. 1-21

Best wishes

Te recomiendo contactar con la Profa. María Teresa Vázquez Osorio. Puedes encontrar información en la web del Centro de Donación: https://www.ucm.es/anatomia/directorio?eid=1273 de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid.

Thank you for your fundamental question, dear Nicolas.

This may contribute greatly to the better worldwide communication of the urgent necessity of legalised body donations for medical studies, and the fundamental need for human dissection for medical studies and training, both undergraduate as postgraduate. For a better Medicine...

Thank you. I will follow with interest.

in my country no body wants to donate the body because of ethical problems.Most of the people advise before death to their relatives  for the donation of their eyes.Some time  the anatomy department receive the unknown  dead bodies from foundation like ethi foundation in pakistan.If  the department of anatomy receive the unknown dead bodies directly as in road accident or death occur in hospitals to keep the bodies in cold storage than we have to wait for some time as may be possible the relatives may appear and claim  the dead bodies.SOME TIME IT HAPPENS. BUT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT IN ISLAMIC COUNTRIES  THE PERSON BEFORE DEATH ADVICE THEIR RELATIVES TO DONATE THE BODIES IN MEDICAL COLLEGES FOR TEACHING PURPOSE IN DEPARTMENT OF ANATOMY

Thank you all! You've been of great help. 

Kind Regards,

NB