IIAM’s Gift of Body Program provides an option to families who are not eligible to donate for organ transplantation (due to reasons related to donor age, health status and cause of death), and who wish to donate for medical education, training, and research. Donors that meet criteria for the Gift of Body Program generally do not meet criteria for tissue donation, with the possible exception of cornea donation. These donations will serve both your general community and research/medical communities in your region as well as nationally.

Research Donor Criteria
Most anyone can be considered for donation into our Gift of Body Program. Donor age and medical history are always documented, however are not necessarily a rule-out for our program.

To briefly review our donor criteria:

• Donor age 0 - >100
  
• Medical histories may include cancer, neurological disorders (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, etc.) and other long term illnesses
  
• Medical and social history is reviewed for suitability and high risk assessment
  
• Organ and tissue donors for transplantation may still be considered as potential research donors post-recovery
  
• Next-of-kin authorization for donations to IIAM is always required, and will be coordinated by IIAM
• Potential donors should be referred to IIAM within 24 hours of death

To Apply To Become A Whole Body Donor For Research
If you’re interested in becoming a whole body donor for research, please download and complete the following 3: Anatomical Consent Form, Gift of Body Pre-Screening Worksheet and Anatomical Gift/Medical-Social History Questionnaire. Since we cannot pre-register people for donation, please do not submit these forms to IIAM until appropriate. You may complete this information and keep it in your possession, and/or with a loved one who knows about your intention to eventually donate for research. These records will be helpful for you and your family in the future. These forms should not be submitted to IIAM until appropriate. The 4th attachment is the IIAM Fact Sheet provided for your own information.

At the time of death, your doctor, health-care giver or loved one can notify IIAM at which time, IIAM will request all paperwork. All potential donors will be evaluated at the time of death. If you prefer, you may contact us and complete the paperwork in 6 months advance or less especially if your loved one is admitted into hospice or diagnosed with a terminal illness.

Due to logistical issues in transport, IIAM is only available in certain areas - IIAM is not able to accept donors from certain regions. Please Email Angie Dianese to inquire if IIAM can facilitate donation in your area.


For Imminent Death:

If death is imminent, please call 800-486-IIAM (4426) to leave a message for the on-call coordinator who will reply ASAP.

Before donation:

• Review the “Gift of Body Program” information above
• Review and complete the “Pre-Screening Worksheet” attached below
• Discuss your intention to donate with your legal next-of-kin, caregiver, etc. If there is any opposition from a family member at the time of death, we may not be able to proceed with donation
• A donor card can be downloaded here. Complete the card and carry it with you. If you wish to receive additional brochures/cards please contact your local IIAM facility

At or near the time of donation:

• Contact IIAM immediately at the time of death. Do not call a funeral home; this is the responsibility of the IIAM on-call coordinator. IIAM coordinators are available at any time (24/7) and can be reached at 800-486-IIAM (4426)
• A coordinator will determine donor suitability by:
  
  • Completing the consent and medical/social questionnaire with the legal next-of-kin/designated agent
  • Reviewing medical records and other legal documents (i.e. power of attorney). Note: If you have completed Power of Attorney documentation, please make sure it states “yes” to donation. If it does not we will not be able to proceed with donation
• Once acceptance has been determined, IIAM will make all arrangements for donation; including transportation to the recovery facility, death certificates and cremation
• IIAM will make arrangements for delivery of cremated remains per next of kin instructions

If you have any questions or need further clarifications call 800-486-IIAM (4426).

Benefit To Donor Family
The benefits realized by the donor family are many:

• No costs incurred by the donor family for services provided by IIAM
• Option for donation to benefit medical education/research and development; ultimately serving mankind
• Become part of an elite group of individuals throughout the country who are Donor Families, having given a gift of life and knowledge through transplant or research
  

Referral / Recovery System
Donor referrals are often received from the following facilities:

• Nursing Homes
• Hospitals
  Hospices
• Medical Examiner Office
• Funeral Homes
• Long Term Care

Referrals will be made directly by these facilities to IIAM, with the exception of any facility that is required to comply with the 1998 CMS (Medicare) Conditions of Participation, thereby making direct death notification calls to the federally designated organ procurement organization in your area.

IIAM is responsible for all aspects of this program including non-hospital development, screening and consent, recovery, tissue processing, distribution and donor family follow-up.

The anticipated sequence of the Gift of Body donation event is as follows:

• Referral (by nursing home, hospice, family etc.) to IIAM
  
• Screening and consent process (IIAM Coordinator)
  
• Obtaining Death Certificate and Transport of Donor to Recovery facility at IIAM Lab
  
• Procurement (IIAM Staff)
  
• Serological testing
  
• Placement of tissues/cremation of remains
  
• Donor family follow-up (return cremains, letters etc.)
• Follow up with referring facility

Research Tissue Distribution
IIAM currently provides research tissues to more than 200 individual researchers including academic doctors, and research professionals at medical device and pharmaceutical companies worldwide.

Each year, IIAM’s Gift of Body Program receives over 400 whole body donors for research. Priority is given to researchers in the region where the donation occurs; this enables the donor to contribute directly to the advancement of local research, education and development. All researchers must submit an application for approval by IIAM’s review committee demonstrating medical and/or scientific merit to ensure that the donor’s gift is used as intended by the donor and the donor’s family.



Donor Family Aftercare Services
Services that are provided to donor families include:

• Option to receive, inter or scatter cremains
• Thank You letter to the donor family with a summary of the benefits to medical research and education from the donation
  
• Filing of death certificate
  
• Ability to attend annual donor memorial service
  
• Invitation to participate in IIAM’s Virtual Donor Memorial
• Receive information on contributing a quilt square to the IIAM and/or National Donor Family Quilt
  
• Donor family pin provided to donor family
• Receive "To Give and Grieve" newsletter offered through National Kidney Foundation
• Membership information on how to join the National Donor Family Council
• Opportunities to become a volunteer for IIAM events
  

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I make arrangements to donate my body for medical education/research?
  An individual or medical professional can contact the International Institute for the Advancement of Medicine (IIAM) at 800-486-4426 and ask to speak to a coordinator about becoming a donor at the time of their death. Depending on the wishes of the individual, an IIAM coordinator can answer questions over the phone and send the documents out to the individual, or in some cases, a coordinator may be able to come and speak to someone in person at a hospital, hospice, nursing home or residence.
  
  If an individual is currently in a hospital, hospice, nursing home or residence, they may ask the health-care provider or next-of-kin to contact IIAM on their behalf.
  
  
• Is there any cost associated with donating my body for medical education/research?
  There is no cost whatsoever to the donor's estate or their family. IIAM covers all costs associated with the donation. The decedent's estate or family will still be responsible for all costs associated with the medical care prior to death, as well as obtaining additional copies of the Death Certificate (IIAM will provide the family with 3 certificates).
  
  
• Is a viewing still possible?
  If someone chooses to participate in the Gift of Body Program, a viewing for the funeral is not a possibility. The tissues must be recovered as quickly as possible, and the process of embalming a body for a viewing eliminates their viability for medical research and education with IIAM researchers.
  
  However, as mentioned above, the cremains can be made available for burial and the family may still choose to have a memorial service. There will be no charge to the family for the cremation of the remains, however any additional expenses associated with a funeral or memorial will be the responsibility of the family.
  
  
• Is there any cost to a family to receive the cremains?
  It is the choice of each individual family whether or not they chose to receive the cremains of their loved one. There is no cost to the family whether they chose to receive the cremains, or have them interred at a special IIAM Memorial interment site. The cremains are returned in a simple container.
  
  
• Is there any reason why someone would not be accepted as a Gift of Body Donor for medical education/research?
  Yes, individuals with certain medical conditions, such as some infectious diseases, cannot be donors. These diseases include, but are not limited to: HIV, Hepatitis and Tuberculosis. An individual evaluation will be made for each potential donor. There are also some high risk evaluations performed as well as other assessments that determine suitability of the donor. We recommend that IIAM be allowed to review each donor and offer information regarding the potential for donation to medical education/research at that time.
  
  
• Can I direct the types of research I would like my donation to be placed?
  Although every effort would be made to meet an individual’s or family’s request, there may be times when we are unable to guarantee that the tissues would be used for specific types of research. Each researcher, studying an individual area of medicine or other discipline, has his or her own criteria. Every donor may not meet these criteria.
  

Top^