The United States: widespread controversy due to a public autopsy show, which cost $ 500 to attend
A public autopsy of a man who died in the presence of dozens of people in the United States sparked widespread controversy on Wednesday, November 03, 2021, especially after the family of the owner of the body said that they had not been informed of the use of the body in a paid presentation.
According to US media, nearly 70 participants paid up to $500 each last month to attend a major hotel in Portland, Oregon, for an autopsy performed by a retired specialist on the body of a 98-year-old man who died of complications from the Covid-19 virus.
Dr. Colin Henderson worked for hours to remove the deceased's organs, including his brain, explaining the various stages of the operation that he used to perform similar operations for throughout his career, according to the local TV channel "King 5".
The station's footage showed some onlookers putting on surgical gloves before participating in the autopsy.
Spectator Monica told the station that the autopsy "was very educational," stressing that "everything was done with respect to the person who presented his body."
In contrast, King 5 noted that the family of the deceased David Saunders was not informed that his body, which had been donated for scientific purposes to science, would be used in this type of paid offer.
Personal examination of the corpse
The event on October 17, 2021 in Portland was led by Death Science, which promotes itself as an "independent learning platform".
Tickets to his attendance indicated that it was a "forensic autopsy of a complete corpse" aimed at seeing "how it works" inside the body.
The program promised ticket holders that they would be able to inspect the body for themselves "before, after, and during breaks."
The event aims to "provide an educational experience for people who want to learn more about human anatomy," Death Science founder Jeremy Celeberto said in a statement received by AFP.
The body was secured by Med Ed Labs in Las Vegas, whose website states that it specializes in collecting bodies that are donated to science.
"King 5" quoted officials of a burial company in Louisiana that arranged for David Saunders' body after his death that the family had thought it would be used for medical research.
Celebrto confirmed that he was not aware of the content of the agreement between the family and Med Ed Labs, explaining that the company had informed him that "the body was handed over for scientific, medical and educational purposes."
"We got permission (from the family) to use the donor for medical, scientific and anatomical training and education," Med Ed Labs official, Optin Nasseri, told AFP.
But he added, "We had absolutely no idea" that David Saunders' autopsy would take place in the context of a paid public activity, not for students or medical personnel.
He stressed that Med Ed Labs would not have provided a body for such activity if it had known in advance of its nature, and will not deal with Death Science anymore.
Nasseri said that he had contacted the family of the deceased and that his company would bear "full responsibility and all costs of returning the body to the family and cremation."
