Criteria for Non-Acceptance into the UMMC Body Donation Program

While we make every effort to honor someone’s wish to donate, we must carefully review each potential donor’s medical history at the time of death with the health care provider or family before granting final acceptance into the program.   

Reasons a donation cannot be accepted include, but are not limited to, any of the following: 

• Death occurred outside of Mississippi
• Must have a Body Donor Card 
• Death caused by suicide or extreme trauma
• Disputes over the donation by legal authorizing agent or next of kin
• Notification of death not received in a timely manner
• Decomposition or body in fetal position 
• Previously embalmed or autopsied body
• Organ(s) or tissue(s) removed for organ donation except the corneas
• Severe obesity (body weight over 200 lbs.) or severe wasting
• Certain infectious diseases, e.g. hepatitis, AIDS, tuberculosis, MRSA etc.
• Advanced stage cancer, jaundice (yellowing of the skin), excessive fluid retention 
• Surgery within 30 days of death
• If the number of donated bodies required by the institution will be exceeded

Since a donation might not be acceptable at the time of death, alternative arrangements should be made.