FAQ About Body Donation

We serve as the bridge between a donor and the medical researchers and educators that rely on donors to help discover cures for diseases and develop new and effective treatments and therapies. We do this by acquiring, recovering, processing, storing and distributing organs and tissues to approved medical researchers and educators.

Most people who want to donate can!  There is no upper age limit and most disease processes are acceptable. The most common reasons for decline are a diagnosis of HIV, AIDS, hepatitis B or C, a history of illegal drug use, incarceration or institutionalization and being severely over or under weight at the time of death. MedCure accepts donations from all states within the continental United States except New Jersey and Minnesota.

Pre-register by completing a Donor Consent form and mailing to us. Once received, we will issue a Donor Card to carry with you.  It is important to inform all of your family about your decision and where to locate our phone number to assure your wishes are carried out.  For immediate assistance, contact us 24/7 toll-free at 1.866.560.2525.

Cremated remains are sent to your family in five to six weeks from the time of passing. Certified death certificates are usually received within four weeks depending on the state or county that processes them.

Transplant donation and whole body donation are made through separate programs, hence the need for two separate registrations.

Your driver's license indicates that upon your death, you consent for organs and tissues to be removed from your body  and transplanted into another person to enhance or save their life. Whole body donation is different in that your organs and tissues will be useful in furthering medical science studies but will NEVER be transplanted into a living person. Transplant donation is a priority because of the immediate lifesaving potential, however if the specific circumstances of a donor's passing make transplant donation unsuitable, whole body donation may still be possible.

This is possible in only a few cases. After death has occurred, if your organs or tissues are gifted in transplant and you also request to donate to medical science and education, MedCure may be able to arrange this.

MedCure covers all costs associated with the donation process including transportation from the place of death to our location, cremation, two certified copies of the death certificate, return of cremated remains to family in a heart-shaped urn within 6 weeks of donation or a memorial scattering at sea within 8 months of donation.  We do not cover any optional expenses unrelated to donation such as memorial services, obituaries, interment, or floral arrangements.

With whole body donation open casket viewing is not possible. However, a memorial service with cremated remains is very common with our donor families.

If you would like your donation to go to a specific medical research study or medical university, we recommend you contact that organization directly. We cannot guarantee that it will be possible to match your donation to a specific research study at the time of your death; placement is based on our researchers' needs at that time. You can be assured your donation will benefit important medical research and /or education through MedCure’s program. Your family may request a letter from us to learn how your donation supported medical science.

Upon notification of your death, arrangements and costs are made by MedCure for your care and transportation to our facility.