After the scandal at Paris-Descartes University, a decree sets new rules for donating bodies to science

The government got involved after the scandal that splashed Paris-Descartes University in 2019. A decree published in the Official Journal on Thursday April 28 specifies the conditions for donating one’s body to science in application of the Bioethics law. The text, which comes into force on Friday, thus specifies the methods of transport and reception of the bodies, the conditions for carrying out funeral operations, the return of the body or the ashes and the conditions of authorization and operation of the establishments benefiting from the donations.

The decree also provides for the setting up within these establishments of a “ethics, scientific and educational committee responsible for issuing an opinion on training programs and research projects requiring the use of donated bodies”. According to the text, a person can now consent to this donation “by a written statement in full, dated and signed by him” after having received an information document by the establishment authorized to receive the bodies.

In 2019, the weekly The Express had revealed that the Paris-Descartes University’s body donation center had hosted in “indecent conditions” the remains of “thousands of people”. The investigation subsequently opened revealed “inertia” managers of the prestigious Parisian institution for several decades. These revelations led to four indictments last year, including those of the Parisian university and its former president for “attacking the integrity of a corpse”.