American Association for Anatomy Publishes New Guidelines for The Ethical Management of Human Remains

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Mar 18, 2024, 09:00 ET

Long-Awaited Whitepaper Reflects New and Continually Evolving Standards for Teaching and Scientific Research

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Association for Anatomy (AAA) today released the whitepaper "Recommendations for the Management of Legacy Anatomical Collections" to provide ethical guidance on the treatment of human remains in public and private institutions, many of which were collected before today's standard of informed consent. The paper, representing the collective input of professionals from a broad set of disciplines around the world, is designed to help researchers, teachers, and museum associates navigate the complexities of conscientious use, storage, and disposition of tissues in their care.

Led by Past-President of AAA, Dr. Valerie DeLeon, the organization convened a taskforce in 2021, including bioethics experts and professionals who work with skeletal remains, to develop the most current set of best practices to guide custodians of human remains as they consider the future of legacy anatomical collections in their care.

"As the standards for appropriate use of skeletal remains continue to evolve, many custodians of legacy anatomical collections are motivated to treat the collections ethically but are struggling to determine exactly what that means," Dr. DeLeon said. "Our team came together to provide a framework that will help people make good decisions. We requested input from AAA members, and incorporated feedback from dozens of respondents. This document serves as a foundation for an evolving set of standards, which we will continue to adapt in response to input from broader communities."

With a focus on both ethical and practical considerations, the guidance provided in this paper outlines steps – tailored to various scenarios – for establishing appropriate management and oversight, investigating provenance, and engaging with communities of care.

About the American Association for Anatomy

The American Association for Anatomy (AAA) is an international membership organization of biomedical researchers and educators specializing in the structural foundation of health and disease. AAA connects anatomists, neuroscientists, developmental biologists, biological anthropologists, cell biologists, and physical therapists to advance the anatomical sciences through research, education, and professional development. Additional information is available at www.anatomy.org.

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SOURCE American Association for Anatomy