Intended for healthcare professionals

Rapid response to:

Education And Debate For and against

No consent should be needed for using leftover body material for scientific purposesForAgainst

BMJ 2002; 325 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.325.7365.648 (Published 21 September 2002) Cite this as: BMJ 2002;325:648

Rapid Response:

More reasons for asking consent:

Common courtesy demands it.

There will be many people who will be pleased to be offered the
courtesy of being asked to contribute to research, and to heve the
pleasure of doing so.

Ten years ago my sexual organs were removed without my consent. Most
of the tssue was thrown away. Afterwards I was able to retrieve the six
microscope slides which were retained. They are in a box and I have
arranged that they will go in my coffin when I die.

The film The Last Emperor records that the eunuchs asked for their
sexual organs back so that they could be buried with them.

Competing interests: No competing interests

20 September 2002
Caroline (I don't have a middle initial) Richmond
freelance journalist
London SW3 5AQ
home, which is: 1 Beaufort St