What Relivant didn’t know at the time was that at least 25 of the bodies the company used in these exercises went unclaimed, according to emails obtained by NBC News through a university records request. . The Health Sciences Center received bodies from two local counties.
When NBC News began asking questions, Sashariason suggested that Boston Scientific publicly say it was reviewing its work with the Health Sciences Center, and Kevin Barry, the company’s general counsel, said: He advised leaders to avoid the appearance of “turning a blind eye to UNT’s practices.” ” according to a long email chain forwarded to the center.
He wrote that the company should take a “clear ethical position” and that the news could embarrass investors.
Sakariason ultimately told NBC News that Boston Scientific and Lillyvant is no longer working with the Health Sciences Center.
The center’s director permanently closed the BioSkills Institute in September after documents uncovered through reporters’ requests for information revealed a “lack of leadership, standards of respect and care, and professionalism.” He also stated that he had ended the use of unclaimed bodies.
This week, NBC News reported that one of the bodies rescuers used was that of Aurimar Villegas, a 21-year-old Venezuelan immigrant who died in a street shooting and whose family desperately tried to bring his body home. Ta.
In response to additional questions, Sachariason sent a statement saying the center’s use of unclaimed bodies without consent is “not consistent with our understanding of the center’s probate remains program.” Boston Scientific has updated its policy to require consent from donors or their next of kin, she said.
When NBC News surveyed 15 major medical device manufacturers, two companies, Johnson & Johnson and Medtronic, said they had policies against using unclaimed bodies for research or training. It was just that. Fresenius Medical Care said it does not use cadavers. The rest said they had no policy and did not respond to NBC News’ questions or provide clear answers.
Some companies and medical schools are switching from using the human body to alternatives such as augmented and virtual reality, highly detailed interactive digital tables, and lifelike synthetic models. These options have many advantages. It’s reusable. Contains no chemical preservatives that can be dangerous for students. And they have no ethical issues.
SynDaver is a company that sells human replicas made of silicone or synthetic tissue for up to $200,000 each. Caris Revilla, the company’s sales director, said one of the goals is to reduce demand for bodies and eliminate “bad actors” who don’t treat bodies with respect. “That’s the issue we’re trying to fight,” she said.
