“A 98-year-old World War II veteran who died of COVID donated his body to medical science – only for it to be dissected in front of a live audience at a $500-a-ticket event in a Portland Marriott hotel ballroom.”

While this sounds like the plot of a horror movie, unfortunately, for the family of David Saunders of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, their nightmare came true last month.

Mr. Saunders body was dissected during a “Cadaver Class” held as part of the traveling Oddities and Curiosities Expo. The event was open to all members of the public, and was not reserved solely for scientists with a professional interest in autopsies. 

Learn about the experiences of the Saunders family in articles from Newsweek, KING-TV (Seattle), The Huffington Post and the Daily Mail.

It’s unimaginable that something like this can happen, but it’s likely what transpired was legal.

The good news is YOU CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

When a family chooses to donate a loved one’s body for education or research, they do so with the hope that they will help others. Regrettably, many, like the Saunders family, are unknowingly contributing to a for-profit industry in which the body of their loved one could be traded as raw material in a largely unregulated national market. The body broker to whom Mr. Saunders’ body was donated sold it for a reported $10,000 to the group hosting the “Cadaver Class.”

With the introduction of the Consensual Donation and Research Integrity Act of 2021 (CDRI Act) in the House (H.R. 4062), which has NFDA’s full support, Congress is taking a significant step toward protecting the dignity of donors and offering peace of mind to families by creating standards for registration; inspection; transparency; chain of custody; labeling and packaging; and proper disposition. Click here to learn more about the bill. 

You Can Help!

NFDA is working hard every day to secure congressional support for the CDRI Act but we can’t do it alone. We are stronger – and more successful – when you join us in speaking out on behalf of the families you serve … families like that of Mr. Saunders.

We’re asking you to contact your members of Congress and urge them to support the CDRI Act of 2021. Contacting your Representative is as easy as 1, 2, 3!

1.     Click here to begin

2.     Enter your contact information and click “Next”

3.     That’s it! Your message will automatically be sent to your Representative in the House

Collectively, our voices are stronger when we speak together. Thank you again for taking a few minutes to contact your Representative on this important issue; this simple act shows just how much you care for the families you serve.

Please stay tuned for more updates on this bill as it makes its way through Congress.