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Body Broker Scandal: Dad's Remains Sold After Donation
12 Jan
Summary
- Dad donated body for surgical practice; remains were sold.
- Company promised cremation but returned ashes and body parts.
- Lack of federal law permits largely unregulated body brokering.
In 2009, Harrold Dillard donated his remains for knee replacement surgical practice, believing it was a final selfless act for his family. He died on Christmas Eve, and his body was collected by BioCare, a company that promised to cremate unused parts and return ashes. However, months later, his daughter, Farrah Fasold, was informed by police that his head had been found, revealing a disturbing practice.
This situation exposed "body brokering," where companies, often calling themselves "non-transplant tissue banks," act as middlemen. They acquire donated bodies and then sell them for research or education, operating in a market with minimal federal oversight. Unlike the highly regulated organ and tissue transplant industry, the sale of cadavers lacks federal law, allowing almost anyone to dissect and sell body parts.
Ms. Fasold expressed horror, stating her family would never have consented if they knew body parts would be sold, not cremated. The detective described the remains as "dismembered," indicating a lack of respect and a far cry from the promised dignified treatment. Thousands of Americans annually donate their bodies to science, unaware their remains can become commercial commodities.
