It appears that they are taking advantage of the tax laws for non-profit organizations - which is a different issue than trafficking in body parts, which probably should be regulated more carefully, although that's problematic, too.
When I draft wills, and people want to donate body parts, I just leave it vague because there's really no place to specify, other than the Lions Club for eyes. I think hospitals make arrangements with transplantation doctors, but there is certainly money made on the transactions. It would be gruesome to give the money to the grieving family, but maybe it could be used to defray the hospital costs?
I remember when you could sell your body to a medical school for $2500 and get a tattoo on your foot so that it would be sent there after death. Wish I'd done it before it became illegal, I could have used the dough back then, I was in college at the time, my apartment cost $150 a month, tuition was $350 a semester, it would have put me through college, almost. But I didn't like the idea at the time. Who cares what happens to your body after you're dead, putting it to good use seems ok to me. |
