Arizona man finds out mother's body donated to science was sold to be used in IED blast test

[left-of-center2012]

A man from Arizona who donated his mother’s body to the Biological Resource Center in Phoenix for medical research said discovered her body was used instead for “blast testing” after being sold to the military.

Jim Stauffer told KNXV in an interview on Tuesday that he had donated his mother’s body to the center after her death in 2013. At the time, he had hoped her brain would be used for medical research into Alzheimer’s, which she suffered from up until her death, as well as possible treatments for the disease.

However, Stauffer said he discovered her body was used for “blast testing” instead after being sold to the U.S. Army, a Reuters investigation found. Stauffer said he learned of how his mother’s body was used for the testing after a Reuters reporter reached out to him with documents regarding his donation.

"She was then supposedly strapped in a chair on some sort of apparatus, and a detonation took place underneath her to basically kind of get an idea of what the human body goes through when a vehicle is hit by an IED,” he told the station.

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/455621-arizona-man-finds-out-mothers-body-donated-to-science-was-sold

[madaboutharry]

1. The information at the link is even more horrifying.

[dewsgirl]

2. ....

During an FBI raid in 2014, officials reportedly discovered buckets of body parts, male genitalia in a cooler, and pieces of different people’s bodies sewn together at the facility.

Yikes!

[ProudLib72]

3. This is exactly why I will never donate my body to science

I do know of a slightly orange body that is ready for blowing up tests right now, though.

[safeinOhio]

4. I believe in life

before death.


But that’s just me.

[BigmanPigman]

5. Real corpses were used in Apocalypse Now

and were supplied by the Philippines to the prop guys. When word got out that they were real and not merely fake props they had to stop the practice. I thought that was bad but this story is way beyond that.

[TheBlackAdder]

6. I'm sure a lot are used for ballistics testing--ammo soon to reach your local sporting goods store.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

7. I mean...is that not science?

[Texasgal]

8. Please donate ORGANS instead!

Lives are saved!

www.donatelife.org

One donation can help up to 13 lives!

[Demonaut]

9. my liver is shot..12

[Ms. Toad]

13. My daughter's is, too - she will likely need a liver transplant.

But her other organs are very gently used . . . so someone else will get to live a bit longer, or a bit more completely, becuase she is an organ donor (even though her liver can't be used).

[Texasgal]

19. Are your kidneys eyes or

skin matter shot?

DONATE!!!

[Demonaut]

20. it's marked on my dl

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

10. Her body was donated to science. With no restrictions.

My mother donated her body to the Medical School in her city to be a cadaver to be dissected. Her designation was very specific, This man was not specific. He honestly has no grounds for complaint.

For what it's worth, after the dissection was done, Mom's remains were cremated and returned to us, and we were eventually able to scatter them in a place that was appropriate and meaningful.

Meanwhile, he should honestly be grateful that his mom has contributed to genuine knowledge in that field. Stop whining. Get over yourself.

[Ms. Toad]

14. How do you know that?

I didn't see the terms of the donation in the article, and since the article mentions a number of individuals who are suing the entity for illegal activity, I tend to suspect they were not using bodies in accordance with the terms of the donation.

[Raine]

18. The son donated the body but the place he donated it to

sold it, making money off what what was freely given to benefit society. The selling for profit is what seems so wrong.

[X_Digger]

11. So? That's science. n/t

[madville]

12. That's pretty cool actually

I wouldn't mind if they blow up my body, especially if it helps figure out ways to protect our military folks.

[NightWatcher]

15. Mom's going out like a badass! Can we request what they do with our bodies?

Protecting the troops is a decent final act.

[Codeine]

16. That's a totally valid use.

That testing helped gather information that could be used to treat injuries sustained from mines and ied blasts, or to design military equipment that protects vehicle occupants in a war zone.

People are stupid and squeamish. When I die they can blow the shit out of me — I will be far too dead to care.

[912gdm]

17. how is this news?

He donated the body to science. The body was used for research.


This story is irresponsible since it can hinder future donations, including his preferred donation-du-jour.