Grounds for Rejection

It appears that body bequest programs are run mainly by universities for teaching purposes. The criteria for acceptance and/or rejection vary from state to state, but the general grounds for rejection are as follows:

Cause of Death: most bodies accepted will have died of natural causes. The body is rejected if the donor had a notifiable disease (e.g. HIV, tuberculosis)

Autopsy: if an autopsy has been done, a body may not be accepted because the major arteries are severed, making embalming difficult

Organ Donor: if the donor has previously donated whole organs

Physical size and condition: embalming is difficult or ineffective if body is obese, emaciated, or has been dead for too long

Transportation limits: sometimes the family or donor must have arranged transport of the body to the university

Each university's specific guidelines are as below (UNSW didn't have much info soz)



Melbourne University (Victoria)

Once I become a donor is my body automatically accepted at the time of death?
The University appreciates your generous donation, but some circumstances may prevent the acceptance of your body. Where this is the case, the University will contact your executor, administrator, or next-of-kin so that alternative arrangements may be made. The University would be unable to accept your body if:
- an autopsy or post mortem has been performed
- too much time has elapsed before the University is notified of your death
- the cause of death is a significant disease (eg. HIV, tuberculosis)
- at the time of death organs were removed for organ donation
- recent surgery has been performed- death occurs more than 60 km from Melbourne GPO

Site: http://www.anatomy.unimelb.edu.au/aboutus/donorprogram/faq.html



University of Queensland (Queensland)

Conditions of Acceptance
We accept donations of human bodies from people who live and die in the greater Brisbane area as well as the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba. There is no upper age limit, however the applicant does have to be over the age of 18 to be accepted into the program. Other than the applicant’s residential address, the following conditions would restrict acceptance:-
- Death occurring outside of the acceptance area;
- Conduct of post mortem examination;
- Accidental death; - Coroner’s inquiry;
- Cause of death – transmissible disease or widespread cancer;
- Physical size and condition of body.

Site: http://www.uq.edu.au/sbms/human-bequest-program



Australian National University (Canberra)

5. What conditions will prevent the University from accepting my body?As we use donated bodies to study the NORMAL structure of the WHOLE human body, we may not be able to accept the body if the donor:
is obese or emaciated;
has been significantly altered by certain medical conditions or procedures* including amputation; has undergone an autopsy;
has been embalmed;
has undergone whole organ donation;
has Creutzfeld Jacob Disease (CJD), any form of dementia, or is suspected of having certain notifiable diseases;
has jaundice;
has been deceased for more than 72 hours or cannot be transferred to the ANU Anatomy Laboratories within 72 hours;
too great distance for body transportation (greater than 200Km radius of Canberra); and
laboratories storage limitations.
*Due to variations in procedures, exceptions may be made in some casesAfter the appropriate enquiries have been made, if the body is NOT suitable for donation, the next-of-kin will be notified immediately so they can make alternative funeral arrangements. The Universities cannot be held liable for any costs incurred through the refusal of a donation. It is incumbent upon the next-of-kin or the attending medical personnel, to obtain acceptance of the body prior to its transport.

Site: http://medicalschool.anu.edu.au/donation/donation.asp



Flinders University (Adelaide)
Q9. What conditions will prevent the University from accepting my body?
Whilst we reject some donations, the University accepts over 85% of intended body donations when we are notified of a death in the required timeframe.
We may not be able to accept the donation if the intending donor:
a) has been deceased for more than three (3) days;
b) has been significantly altered by certain medical conditions or procedures*, including amputation*;
c) has undergone an autopsy;
d) has undergone whole organ donation*;
e) has Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease (CJD), dementia of unknown cause, spent six months or more within the United Kingdom between the years 1980 to 1996 or is suspected of having communicable diseases;
f) has jaundice;
g) died within 24 hours of a surgical procedure or discharge from a hospital;
h) is obese or emaciated
i) cannot be transferred to the School of Medical Sciences within three (3) daysOR DUE TOj) body storage limitations;
k) planned university shutdowns (eg Christmas/New Year break).
*NB: The School may make exceptions in some cases.
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Site: http://som.flinders.edu.au/FUSA/Anatomy/BodyDonation.htm#9



University of Tasmania Body Bequest program (Tasmania)

The Program uses donated bodies to study the normal structure of the whole human body. Whilst we strive to accept all donations there may be times that a donor is not suitable because the normal structure has been altered by a medical condition. Such instances may arise because the donor:
is the subject of a coronial enquiry or a post mortem examination;
has had a recent operation prior to death;
has the possible existence of a contagious disease;
has undergone whole organ donation;
has Creutzfeld Jacob Disease (CJD);
is obese or emaciated;
has widespread cancer;
has been assessed to be unsuitable for embalming;
has been significantly altered by certain medical conditions or procedures.
All donations are considered on a case by case basis at the time of death and there may be exceptions in some cases. Donations cannot be accepted if the donor has been deceased more than 4 days or if the family do not wish the donation proceed. Donations may also not be accepted subject to the University's storage limitations.

Site: http://www.medicine.utas.edu.au/bodybequest/