Comments on: Service Review—MedCure

By: Sheila O

Sheila O — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 06:42:11 +0000

I couldn’t care less what happens to my “shell” when I die. I do know I don’t want my family left with the burden of the expense to dispose of it. So, i’m going with Med Care. Better my body be a learning tool than go to waste rotting underground. Just saying…

By: Spags

Spags — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 03:06:51 +0000

TWAS a quickly death, the morgue I went
and there I stay til family spent,
The price so high, no funeral spree
and there I stayed til coughed up fee,
My family searched , a beg demure
the morgue I stayed til shown MedCure,
No cost for this, no cost for that
the cremation fee was “Free” the chat,
Now my head in Jersey, the rest away
except my feet ashes in heart-shaped lay,
The years have passed, my family held
the knowledge shared my gift cancer felled.

By: Jennie D

Jennie D — Wed, 04 May 2011 20:35:10 +0000

Valere, research the UAGA 2006 or any previous version and your state laws closely. The sale of body parts does NOT include research and education, only for transplant and/or therapy. While I personally believe it’s poor idea to sell body parts for research and/or education, it is NOT illegal. I haven’t researched every state’s laws concerning this, but I do know federal law does not prohibit the selling of body parts for research and/or education purposes.

By: Jennie D

Jennie D — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 22:41:26 +0000

Jake first off, that bill was shot down before it went for vote. Not to say that another may take its place. And it should have been shot down, because it was introduced covertly to slide it through. Secondly, what’s a lot of money to you? These groups make about $3000-6000 per body depending on circumstances and that mid-range equals only two dime-sized corneas in the transplant sector. Transplant is where the money is at, I assure you (unless you count medical school education which is a huge business too). Both transplant and research use euphemisms for everything they do, granted, but don’t think for a minute that these research and education companies don’t work hard for what they get (as do the transplant and medical education groups, of course).

But as far as non-profit? Please! Every non-profit in this industry depends on service fees and very very little comes from monetary donations from the public. In fact, most of these non-profits make generous revenues and pay no taxes. This is another way of saying that they are GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZED! At least the for-profits pay taxes, and in this economy, that’s not a bad thing. And then some of these non-profits who make nice revenues have the nerve to make a religion out of their non-profit status. Here’s the deal Jake. Federally designated Organ Procurement Agencies must be non-profit because Medicare (who pays their fees) requires it. Many of these Organ Banks operate life-saving tissue and a few have their own eye banks, and so their non-profit status is a carry over. I know of several well known non-profit tissue banks that have so much extra money over the years that they spin off industry related or allied for-profit side companies and their senior management officers make a considerable amount of money from this. So please Jake, get over this non-profit mantra.

Let me spell it to you straight Jake. Every industry has their bad apples, and don’t think for a second it doesn’t include the transplant or university systems (I could tell you a story or two just in the NW). In fact, if MedCure got caught doing what one particular university system did in the NW (not once, but twice), someone would go to jail. Instead, this university settled out of court (twice) and it was business as usual with not even a reprimand. I agree that there is not enough oversight in the industry you speak of, but that latest legislation you mentioned (which was shot down) did not include the university system that helped push it into existence. Now that doesn’t sound very fair, does it?

One last thing about MedCure. I don’t like them and I don’t work for them. But at least I know about their industry and apparently yours better than you do. So, don’t just drink the kool-aid Jake. Get educated on the whole story before you start spouting off like you really know something.

By: Jake

Jake — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:56:48 +0000

Valere, AATB does not inspect facilities nor does anyone in Oregon. I have benefited you are correct. But I find it very interesting that many other non profits do the same thing that
Med Cure does. And how in the recent lobbying in Oregon that if the laws pass that it was commented
that place like this might be going out of business. If the Oregon Lions Eye bank and other
can do it as non profit. Than my comments are correct MedCure is profit driven
and than the cremated remains are only those that were not sold.

By: Valere

Valere — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 23:58:20 +0000

Jake, your comments are inaccurate. It is illegal to sell body parts and if we were doing so, we would be stopped. There IS regulation for Non-Transplant Anatomical Tissue Banks – although regulation is voluntary, we allow inspection through the AATB (American Association of Tissue Banks). The AATB is currently revising their regulations to address the specific nature of a non-transplant tissue bank as most of their current regulations are only for TRANSPLANT tissue banks. Just because MedCure is a “for-profit” business, does not mean we are “profit-driven”. People give of their body for research and education for altruistic purposes that are real and life saving and there are costs incurred in the matching a donor with researchers. In appreciation for a person’s donation, there are no costs incurred to the donor or their family for their gift. If you have ever visited a doctor, had surgery or taken a medication in your life YOU have already benefited from the research and education that previous donors have provided the medical community. What a wonderful gift complete strangers have given you! Deciding to donate your body for this purpose is voluntary and you do not HAVE to participate yourself, even if you benefit from this research IN LIFE. I am as close as one can get to body donation, and I consented to this for myself when I die.

By: Jake

Jake — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 23:20:08 +0000

Neptune and Medcure are two very different things. Merri has had a very bad relationship with MedCure and many other have also and yes there are some that do not. But MedCure is a
profit driven business and that facts are they sell disarticulated body parts and are sold
for varying uses. And the ashes that are returned are only those parts of the remains that
did not get sold! They are not regulated by our State Board who governs body handling.
On there website the state “that medcure receives reasonable compensation for the costs incurred
in recovering and matching donors with researcher/educator needs.” A human body is can be
worth a lot of money. Some people do not care if someone makes money on there dead body or
not. But I assure you that this company is profit driven and they will make money not your
survivors. There is no inspection of facifities or licensing and record keeping is poor. And
even at the time of death they might still say no to taking your remains so fo rmany reasons
be prepared.

By: Marlen

Marlen — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 16:56:06 +0000

Thanks to all those who have weighed in here. My family and I are currently considering programs like Neptune and Medcure and I appreciate all of your feedback and stories.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 17:29:00 +0000

My granny past about a month ago unexpectedly. Eventhough, my husband and I are only in our mid 20s and as far as I know in great health, Granny’s passing has really worried me about how we would leave the other with 2 children to care for, if something happened to one of us. First thing I signed up for life insurance from work and now looking into funeral stuff. Years ago when I first heard donating your body was an option I knew it was for me, but never knew so much thought was to go into it. I found Medcure, read everything and got info sent to me as well as some other companies. Medcure within my little research with all it’s pro’s and con’s seems to be the best one of its kind. These comments have helped greatly and i appreciate people taking the time to do this. I strongly agree with the last comment from Lloyd T especially in regards to medcure. They are relinquishing stress from family and close friends and your body will be used to help and further health achievements, as well as giving your family closure to the charities you all helped. ….and they have to get paid somehow and it is great that it doesn’t come from a grieving family in today’s economy!!!!

By: Lloyd T.

Lloyd T. — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 23:33:48 +0000

I have been fighting cancer for 16 years and knew some day the Dr. would tell me that I lost the fight, That happened last Sept 2009, I was given 3 months to live and was told to go home and call Hospice, I did and Hospice came to my home and told me I looked to healthy to be dieing, They asked me if I had seen an Oncologists, I said no and they recommended I see one before I gave up, Anyway I did and received Chemo and went into remission by Feb.2010. But in that time I started to think about how my family would be able to deal with my remains, I have been disabled for 8 years don’t have life insurance or any money in the bank, So I started thinking about donation and found MEDCURE on the net, I checked them out pretty good and found a few people that where not happy with there family members donation but it was only maybe 3 people, Everything else I read or heard was very good, After all your dead what can anyone do to screw you up more. I know I grew up with a lot of guilt, Both my parents died before I was 23 years old and my sister passed away a few years ago, But other then the Funerals I have never been to there graves for any reason and they all are buried only a few miles from me, I decided a long time ago I didn’t want any of my kids or family to ever have to go to my grave site because they had to, And I didn’t want them to feel guilty about not doing it, So I knew I would be cremated and have my ashes scattered and that would remove that problem, When I found MEDCURE and spoke with them I had every question answered and even now I get a question about something and call them and no matter what time of day or night there is someone there to answer my questions, Even the Lady I have lived with and had kids with has decided to donate her Body when her time comes, MEDCURE makes dieing so easy and leaves NO financial burden to your family, At present I’m no longer in remission and the cancer has spread to my brain, It was found soon enough that I was able to get pin point radiation in 2 small spots and brain surgery on a small spot in my motor cortex last month, And in 2 weeks I start Chemo again, I didn’t have any problems the last time and hope I don’t this time, But that’s is in Gods hands. I’m just glad I found MEDCURE and don’t have to put my family through all the hardships of raising money for a Funeral. Like I said your going to be dead what can anyone screw up, As long as they take my body use it to improve health care for others then cremate my remains. It’s all fine with me, As fare as MEDCURE making money from my remains ( Who cares ) they are taking a real big load of my mind and that may be part of the reason I have been able to spend more time fighting the cancer instead of worrying about getting the cash to be berried or cremated on my own. I feel they offer a great service and would recommend them to everyone. Have a great life and I’ll see you on the other side.
God Bless You All