1800 unclaimed bodies sent to Texas medical school with names released

For five years, the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth received unclaimed bodies from Dallas and Tarrant counties. These bodies were assessed for usability in medical research, with those infected with diseases or in advanced stages of decomposition being cremated. The remaining bodies were either embalmed, stored in freezers, or used for training medical professionals. Some were cut up and leased out to medical schools, the U.S. Army, and medical technology companies. Supporters of using unclaimed bodies for research argue that it saves money on burial costs and provides valuable specimens for medical advancement. However, after an NBC News investigation revealed that several families were unaware of what happened to their missing relatives, the Health Science Center stopped using unclaimed bodies, fired program officials, and apologized to affected families. More families have since come forward with similar stories, expressing shock and sadness at the thought of their loved ones being studied, dissected, and sent across the country without consent. In an effort to provide answers, NBC News has published a database of over 1,800 names of individuals whose bodies were given to the Health Science Center from 2019 onwards, obtained through public records requests from the county medical examiners.

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