Body Donor Policy
Cellular Biology and Anatomy
The Bureau of Anatomical Services (BAS) and LSU Health Shreveport appreciates your desire to donate your remains for purposes of medical education and research. The BAS, functioning under Louisiana law, is responsible for the procurement, use and disposition of the remains which are donated. Remains donated to our program are assigned to one of its member institutions: LSU Schools of Medicine or Dentistry at New Orleans, LSU School of Medicine at Shreveport or Tulane University Medical Center. On occasion, depending on need, donated remains may be transported to other Medical Centers. However, all remains will come back to LSU Health Shreveport for final disposition.
LSU Health Shreveport does not pay individuals for their remains. However, by making your donation, you have relieved your survivors of the majority of expenses of burial. LSU Health Shreveport arranges and pays the expenses for transporting remains of registered donors whose death occurs within 100 miles of Shreveport, Louisiana. The family will be required to pay the additional mileage beyond the 100 miles.
To donate your remains, you have several options with regard to obtaining the paperwork necessary to make a donation to our program:
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HOSPITALS
BUREAU OF ANATOMICAL SERVICES
JOHN BEL EDWARDS, Governor
REBEKAH GEE,MD, Secretary
Once you have obtained the correct form, please have two witnesses (preferably family members) also sign the form. If the form is not filled out completely, it will be returned. Mail the original (white copy) to:
Your form must be on file at least thirty (30) days before your death in order for you to be considered a registered donor. You will receive an acceptance letter and donor cards after the 30 day waiting period has expired. If death occurs prior to the end of the 30 day waiting period, the donation still may be made if the family or estate incurs all related charges. The other form (yellow copy) should be given to a relative, friend, or physician who should be instructed to report your death to the Director of the Willed Body Program (318-675-5320 or 318-675-5312) or after business hours, to the Program Representative on call.
It is important for you to inform your close relatives, friends, and family physician that you are participating in the Willed Body Program as a body donor. Please instruct them to contact the LSUHSC-Shreveport Willed Body Program promptly to report your death at:
LSU Health Shreveport Willed Body Program
Monday-Friday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Phone: (318) 675-5320; (318) 675-5312
Nights, Weekends, and Holidays
LSU Health Shreveport University Police
Phone: (318) 675-6165; (318) 675-6160
The LSU Health Shreveport Willed Body Program will be unable to accept your remains if:
Our Willed Body Program does allow for Eye Donation. In addition to the donating your remains to the LSU Health Shreveport Willed Body Program, you may also choose to donate your eyes to the Northwest Louisiana Lions Eye Bank (318-222-7999).
By your donation, you are making a noteworthy contribution to medical education and research and LSU Health Shreveport appreciates your generous spirit in this matter. Frequently asked questions are answered on the FAQ PAGE. Further information will be supplied on request regarding the procedures. On occasion, depending on need, it is possible that donated remains may be transported for use at other Medical Centers; however all remains will come back to LSU Health Shreveport for final disposition. Should your relatives or friends wish to give a monetary donation to medical education and research in your memory, donations will be accepted by the Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy and will be registered with the School of Medicine.
We would like to thank everyone for their understanding about the temporary hiatus of our Willed Body Program that was initiated last March due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. As you know, this was done to protect our Faculty, Staff, and Students from possible COVID-19 infection. With the availability of the vaccine against COVID-19, we believe that we can safely resume accepting body donations of deceased donors starting on January 25th, 2021.
Although we believe that the vaccine will offer a substantial level of protection to our health care community, we would ask our healthcare partners, who have been key participants in our Willed Body Program, not to send remains of body donors who have passed away from COVID-19, or causes related to COVID-19 infection.
For any information/clarification of our Willed Body Program Policies, please contact the Office of the Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy at 318-675-5312 or refer to these webpages.