General Guidelines

Enrollment

• Prior enrollment is required. All new donors subject to a 7-day waiting period before acceptance of donation intent.
• New donors currently only being accepted within the state of South Carolina
• Original signatures must be on file for donation intent to be valid.

Shared Donated Bodies

• Cadavers may be transferred to other institutions for use but cremains must be returned to USC School of Medicine for interment or release. Donors wishing to remain in use at the School of Medicine during the study period must inform us in writing of their wishes.

Body Rejections

• Minor under 18 years of age
• Autopsied
• Contagious disease: HIV, Hepatitis C (at any time), any current Hepatitis, etc.
• Dementia from Creutzfeldt-Jakob (early onset/rapid death) form of Alzheimer’s
• Postmortem donated body parts other than eyes to other programs
• Any trauma to the body (i.e. accident, suicide, etc.)

Cost for Family, Heirs, or Estate

The Gift of Body Program will arrange, and pay transportation (within state only), embalming, cremation, delivery/interment costs and all expenses associated with the USC Donor Memorial Service (all arrangements will be made through the USC program, any costs incurred due to family-requested departure from the established program protocol must be covered by the donor’s family. Any such departures must be discussed before final acceptance). Any private ceremonies remain the responsibility of the family.

NOTE: For current donors who have moved outside of the state of South Carolina and do not wish to transfer to a local donor program, the family must agree to pay the cost of transportation for continued acceptance in the USC Gift of Body Program.

Time Period of Use

1-4 years

Body’s Final Disposition

Remains are cremated and interred at the medical school’s expense