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Giving ourselves: The ethics of anatomical donation
Author(s) -
Gunderman Richard B.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
anatomical sciences education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.126
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1935-9780
pISSN - 1935-9772
DOI - 10.1002/ase.39
Subject(s) - economic shortage , donation , organ donation , medical education , medicine , medical ethics , threatened species , family medicine , law , psychology , political science , transplantation , surgery , ecology , linguistics , philosophy , government (linguistics) , habitat , biology
In some European countries, such as Italy, medical education is threatened by a dearth of anatomical specimens. Such a shortage could spread to other nations, including the United States. This article addresses two ethical questions in body donation. Why might people choose to donate their bodies to education and science? What sorts of ethical appeals might anatomists, physicians, and other health professionals make to patients and family members for anatomical donation? Two models of giving, egoistic and liberal, merit close examination. Anat Sci Ed 1:217–219, 2008. © 2008 American Association of Anatomists.