1,800 unclaimed bodies sent to Texas medical school; identities now released

An investigation revealed that the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth had been using unclaimed bodies for medical research for five years. Bodies deemed unsuitable for research were cremated, while others were embalmed, frozen, or cut into pieces and leased out to various entities. The practice has been praised for saving taxpayers money on burial costs and providing needed specimens for medical research. However, after families of missing relatives discovered that their loved ones’ bodies had been used without consent, the Health Science Center stopped the program, fired officials, and issued apologies. More families have since come forward with similar stories. NBC News is publishing a database of over 1,800 names of individuals whose bodies were donated to the program, in an effort to help families find answers about their missing loved ones.

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