Service Review—MedCure
By M. Kotch
Zombies, body snatchers, Rocky Horror Picture Show. All these things scream Halloween, don’t they? But one of these things is not like the other. One furthers modern science—no snatching necessary—and is responsible for all the modern medical marvels we take for granted: body donation.
When we strip away all our misconceptions about body donation, what are we left with? Very often, jumbled knowledge that groups body donation and organ donation (or transplants) into the same category. We’ve established the difference between the two in an earlier article. But unlike with organ donation, you can’t indicate your choice or preference as easily on your driver’s license. Body donation for medical and scientific research is a noble and somewhat convenient way to deal with your remains after death. And if you’re green-minded or eco-conscious and have been considering a green funeral, nothing beats body donation as the ultimate recycling plan for your remains. But what’s an easy way to go about body donation?
The founders of MedCure have streamlined the complicated process of donating one’s remains to medical research. Once upon a time, bodies were donated through funeral parlors and hospitals when no next of kin turned up to claim a loved one’s remains. Another option was contacting a local medical school (if you happened to live near one) and requesting information to donate your remains. Those days have been replaced with a growing number of willing and enthusiastic individuals who look upon body donation in the same light as organ donation. Some think of it as continuing the circle of life—while sparing their loved ones burial expenses.
Based in Portland, Oregon, MedCure acts as a national liaison between medical research facilities (including medical schools) and those who wish to donate their remains for medical research. Those who have arrived at this decision can be sure their final wishes will be carried out, regardless of proximity to medical schools or other facilities.
- How it Works
You can pre-register with the company by contacting MedCure directly. Posthumously, your family or next of kin can give permission. Logistically, your family and loved ones don’t have to take care of any burial or transportation fees or planning. MedCure will transport the remains to medical researchers and take care of cremation, as well as transfer of remains back to family and loved ones. Two death certificates will be certified and issued to next of kin in about four weeks.
- How Much It Costs
Nothing. MedCure pays for all transportation, cremation and death certificate fees. Note: The law prohibits any compensation for donated organs or tissues for research or any other purpose. Donors (and their families) are never compensated for their donation.
- Can Everyone Donate?
No. According to MedCure, body donation is not an option for everyone. Restrictions apply, including the following conditions:
o Infectious blood diseases
o Active tuberculoses
o Severe obesity
o Past or present intravenous drug use
- Does Body Donation Lead to New Treatments or Medical Advances?
Yes—everyday. In order for doctors and researchers to understand new treatments and medications, they need to study their effects on all types of tissue: young and aging, sick and healthy. Thanks to such research, newer, more precise medications (that are easier for the body to absorb with fewer side effects) are introduced everyday. Less invasive operations and outpatient procedures are a product of such research.
- Can Donors Choose the Research They Contribute To?
While MedCure does not guarantee matching donors with particular studies or disease research programs, the company has matched individuals with particular causes in the past, and will make an effort to match donors with their chosen research subject.
MedCure is not a non-profit organization; the company receives funds on a “cost recovery system” in which they are compensated for fees incurred by medical research facilities.
For more information, visit www.MedCure.org
November 13th, 2009
The least respected organization in the industry. I advise you to try another similar group.
November 19th, 2009
Why? Where can I locate others in the industry?
February 22nd, 2010
Do not, under circumstances, use Medcure. I donated my husband body and, for the rest of my life, will be left with the horror Medcure inflicted on my family. They are nothing more than glorified body brokers. You, or your loved one, will not be treated with the respect they deserve. Medcure only cares how much money they can make for body parts…although it is illegal to profit from the sale of human body parts. However, Medcure (and companies like them) circumvent the law by charging “fees” or using cadaver parts at their “training facilities” where they charge for training.
You will never know for sure what happened to your loved one (even if you request that the cremated remains be returned to you…as we did), and Medcure really doesn’t care.
This is a company and a type of business that is running wild and is very profitable without proper regulations in place. Please choose a reputable school instead…I wish we did.
February 25th, 2010
Thank you Merri for what you posted, as it is very timely. If what you say is true (no offense, but comments can be left by people wanting to smear a person or company for reasons other than true facts), you have just educated me to contact local teaching hospitals instead of MedCure … but they sure do make the whole donation process sound all nice and respectable on their website.
Again, as I said and am very well aware, not everything we read on the ‘net is true, no matter how professional a website may appear.
February 28th, 2010
Dear Concerned Partner,
Please be assured that everything I wrote about Medcure is true. I have no other motives but to let people know what this company is really about and what they did to my family. Yes…they did a wonderful job with their site. But, this is strictly a “for profit business”, and there is no thought given to the donor and the donor’s family.
My husband died at a young age, and we were not prepared…both emotionally and financially. Knowing our circumstances, a relative found Medcure on the internet for us. It seemed like the perfect answer for us. We could turn our tragedy into a contribution.
I will spend the rest of my life wishing I never heard of Medcure.
March 6th, 2010
Hey, at least these guys aren’t driving a new Bugatti like one of the other body donation owners.
March 11th, 2010
My best friend donated their body through MedCure and it was nothing but a positive experience. From the initial phone call, to receiving the family receiving her cremated remains back in a nice urn, to reading the letter they sent explaining the benefits her donation made possible – it was all handled very well. “Merri” above states that “you will never know what happened to your loved one….and MedCure just doesn’t care”. Well, they let my friends family know everything they wanted to know. When I called MedCure, they answered every question I asked very clearly. I know this wasn’t MY family member and I was unsure of my friends decision at the time, but I am even more convinced now this is something positive to do- a little detour before I get cremated that will help SOMETHING. I have read and done a lot of research for myself and learned that there are many “for profit” and “non-profit” companies out there where you can donate your body. Turns out that they all get “reimbursed” the same way from the people who use cadaver donations. The posting by Merri stated that they are “circumventing the law” and “they are nothing but glorified body brokers”. But when you dig deeper and ask more questions (which I did!) it turns out that even the places that remove organs for transplant donation make their money the same way and NOBODY questions what they do – how do you think the organ donation or removal people make their money? I think donation of a body is the least wasteful thing to do and there a lot of ways to do it.
March 27th, 2010
I and my husband as well will be contributing our bodies to MedCure. We were going to contribute to the University of Florida, Gainesville but found out that we would be charged $3000 for any funeral home to transport our invidual bodies to the facility. (150 miles from our home). At least Med Cure does send the bodies out for research before cremation which is better than just planting a body in the ground to rot. Merri does not have her facts straight and while she may be hurting and sad, it is not a good thing to trash this company which is providing a good service. The people who will be crying the blues are the funeral home operators who thought nothing of charging $8500 for a ’standard’ funeral.
March 29th, 2010
Finding a “Cure”, impossible with this type of program. Nice name though. Warm and fuzzy heart on their homepage too. Marketing genius I tell ya.
June 8th, 2010
Merri,
I have had the info for MedCure for a long time. They have no complaints with the BBB. I have terminal cancer with not much time left. My husband was laid off about 2 years ago, we have been borrowing money from family and friends just to try to keep our house because I could not take the stress of losing the house and moving right now.
I was all for a free way to die. I checked into cremation. About 5k. Funeral and regular burial about 10-15k. I live in the Tampa Bay Florida area and USF in Tampa has a donation process for med students.
When I called them they let me know that there is a fee of 3-$5,000. For “processing and handling of the body” and the family does not get any remains. Since it was right next to Moffitt Cancer Center which has kept me alive this long, I really wanted to donate my body but they have made that impossible.
After reading your comments I don’t know what to do. Can you please explain the detail on what was “horrifying”? I can’t imagine what it could be. If anyone else has any other ways to die without breaking the bank of the entire family I would love to hear it.
June 11th, 2010
There is a place for an organization like MedCure, who can sometimes accept people who would not be eligible for transplant donation. But rest assured, if someone WAS eligible for transplant donation (which can greatly improve quality of life like reducing pain, increasing mobility, restoring sight, or even saving lives in the case of organ donation) but MedCure got to them first, they would recover the same tissues that could be used for transplant. They do not have a very “open door” policy and are not subject to regulation by either the FDA or Health and Human Services.
Another wonderful marketing ploy? Offering free cremation to next-of-kin. How is that not providing compensation for body parts? I believe they call it part of the “donation process” but in reality, cremation or embalming or green burial (whatever people choose for final disposition) is part of the death and dying process.
Do your research people. Make an educated choice.
June 17th, 2010
I do not understand where these degrading comments stem from. My experience with MedCure was nothing but wonderful. My husband was able to donate to Lion’s Eye Bank prior to his donation to MedCure and everything went quite smoothly. The person I spoke with answered all my questions and was always there when I had more questions or needed assistance.
I had the option of receiving a letter telling me how my husband’s donation was utilized for research. MedCure isn’t hiding anything and they are doing a great service. If you are considering donation, call them, ask questions and then make your decision. I highly recommend them and plan on donating my own body to MedCure.
June 19th, 2010
Merri – what a waste of your life .. the body was a gift.. a vacated gift and students etc have benefited and their gratefulness is within their lives… it does cost money to process, ship, and educate, space is not free.. I will absolutely consider the ease of Medcure when I am done with my body. I have no attachment to be parted out etc. It is the way it wouuld happen if I naturally decomposed adn spread out with the wind around the world. Amazing.
July 21st, 2010
I am an employee of MedCure and wanted to assure the internet audience that the families of our donors are highly satisfied with our services. This is evidenced by a survey we send to families that they complete voluntarily and anonymously. 95% of the families surveyed would “highly recommend MedCure to their friends or family”. I regret that Merri did not have a positive experience with the donation of her husband and wish I knew what exactly had happened to contribute to her experience. Since I will likely never know, I offer the following responses to “Merri’s” comments:
“My husband died at a young age and we were not prepared…both emotionally and financially…a relative found MedCure on the internet for us.” –I feel for Merri because it appears the decision to donate was made at a highly emotional time following the sudden and unexpected death of her husband. Someone helped her research options and came upon MedCure. Perhaps she did not fully understand or comprehend our program before making this decision? Unfortunately, I will never know.
“You will never know for sure what happened to your loved one.” –MedCure has a policy to be as transplarent and available as possible. Donation is 100% voluntary. We do not proceed with a donation until we have consent of the next-of-kin and all family members are in agreement to the donation. Our Donor Consent form and Cremation Authorization forms are very informative as to our process. We answer all questions anytime (24 hours) toll-free: 1-866-560-2525. When donation is complete, families may request a letter from us that will tell them how their loved one’s gift contributed to medical science.
“Please choose a reputable school instead” — MedCure serves as a bridge between a donor and the medical researchers and educators that rely on donations. Many reputable medical colleges depend on MedCure to provide them with a donated body for their medical education.
“This type of business is running wild…without proper regulations in place.” — The AATB (American Association of Tissue Banks)is the regulatory agency for tissue banks such as MedCure. It is true that REGULATION is VOLUNTARY and not all body donation programs operate under this regulation. MedCure strictly abides by the operating procedures outlined by the AATB and have volunteered for their regulation. We are currently undergoing our accreditation process with the AATB. This is extra assurance to any prospective donor or their family that we are indeed watched over. You do not receive this accreditation by simply opening your doors for them. You must already be operating successfully under their guidelines to apply for accreditation.
MedCure’s toll-free/24 hour phone number is 1-866-560-2525 and we welcome your questions. We are not here to persuade anyone to donate but we are here to answer any and all questions so each individual can make a fully informed decision for themselves. Thinking about what you want to have happen to you after death BEFORE it happens is VERY important. Whether you donate or not, please save your family the added stress of making last minute arrangements under extreme stress.