Practical considerations in the use of deceased bodies for biomedical research and education

In the biomedical context, the deceased human body represents an invaluable resource for research and education, becoming increasingly central in postgraduate training, surgical practice, biomechanical research, and other studies. However, the availability of bodies for these purposes is not guaranteed, and the use of cadavers for research and teaching involves ethical and legal uncertainties; therefore, the acquisition and management of deceased bodies requires careful ethical consideration. ¹

In addition to bodies donated to science, autopsies are an important source of valuable scientific data. In particular, clinical autopsy and forensic autopsy provide significant sources of data of scientific interest.

Clinical autopsies, although in marked decline due to various factors such as the complexity of tissue laws and the lack of interest from medical personnel, provide valuable data for understanding causes of death and improving clinical practices. ²

On the other hand, forensic autopsies continue and are a major source of scientific data, not only in the forensic field but also in other areas of biomedicine.^2,3

The use of cadavers for diagnostic practice, such as diagnostic autopsy, raises the issue of consent for the use and disclosure of data. This consent is complicated to obtain, both because the subject is deceased and because it can be difficult to communicate with the families, especially in light of their recent loss. Information from forensic autopsies, on the other hand, is bound by the decisions of the Prosecutor's Office regarding disclosure.

This regulatory and ethical complexity requires delicate management, respecting the rights of the deceased and their families.

In this context, it is evident that autopsy activities are essential for the development of forensic pathology and biomedicine in general. Autopsies provide a detailed understanding of the causes of death, reveal diagnostic errors, and help identify new types of diseases or variants of known diseases; it is therefore crucial to improve the procedures to ensure that the information obtained from cadavers is more rapidly and systematically dealt with for scientific purposes. ⁴

A possible solution could be the implementation of a centralised and standardised system for the collection and management of autopsy data.

This could include clear protocols for informed consent, facilitate communication with the families of the deceased, and ensure that collected data is easily accessible to researchers in an anonymous manner to respect privacy. Additionally, such a system could promote collaboration between medico-legal institutions and research centres, improving the quality and quantity of data available to the scientific community. ⁵

The strict European regulatory framework that governs body donations is not yet available in several countries. Numerous countries accept not only donated bodies but also unclaimed bodies. Specifically, 15 countries exclusively use body donation, one country prevalently uses body donation, two countries use mainly unclaimed bodies, one country exclusively uses unclaimed bodies, and for eight countries there is no precise information available. ⁶

In conclusion, bodies are useful and used for research and teaching in the biomedical field, but this requires compliance with ethical and legal considerations and respect for the deceased and their families.