Registration process for the Body Donation Program

Thank you for considering being part of Northeast Ohio Medical University’s Body Donation Program.

• A donor must be at least 18 years of age.
• A person must be registered with NEOMED’s Body Donation Program before the time of death.
• To register, complete our request information form. We will then send a packet that includes more information and a donor card. Please notify us of any change to your place of residence.
• There are no costs associated with body donation for the donor or his or her family. There can be no compensation given to the donor or family.
• You may withdraw from the Body Donation Program at any time by notifying NEOMED’s Department of Biomedical Sciences in writing. If you choose to withdraw, please also inform your physician and next of kin. Our address is Northeast Ohio Medical University, Department of Biomedical Sciences, 4209 St. Rt. 44, PO Box 95, Rootstown, OH 44272.

When a donation is declined

In some circumstances, the Department of Biomedical Sciences may be unable to accept a donation. For that reason, we strongly recommend that you make alternate burial arrangements.

The department will not accept a body that:

• has been embalmed elsewhere;
• has undergone an autopsy;
• died during major surgery or shortly thereafter;
• has excessive edema (swelling);
• demonstrates severe permanent contractures (permanent shortening of a muscles that cause deformities) of the extremities;
• has any organs or tissues donated at the time of death;
• who has died from an accidental or suicidal death;
• is obese;
• has died of or with a contagious disease;
• who has died outside of a 75-mile radius of the University, unless prior arrangements have been made;
• who has died outside of the state of Ohio, or during an unscheduled event that requires the program to be closed.

In addition, we may not accept a body of a person whose limbs (i.e., arms and legs) have been amputated. Also, if a relative notifies the Department of Biomedical Sciences that he or she wishes to make disposition of the body at his/her own expense, we will ask for assurance that the family has arrived at an agreement before accepting or refusing the body.

Because these situations may arise, we strongly recommend that each person who registers with the Body Donation Program also have alternative arrangements.