NEWS: Funeral Home Body Parts Scandal Spreading In US

A series of recent investigations by authorities in NY and NJ have revealed that some Funeral home operators and Body Tissue companies have allegedly falsified records, stolen body parts and tissues only to have them transplanted in living human patients under the false pretense they had been donated. When these investigations first came to light there were only 20 alleged cases in North Carolina, however over the past few weeks and months the figure has grown to over 75 individual cases in several states which may have far reaching ramifications within the transplant area of medicine. Several residents of New Jersey have now filed lawsuits alleging their bone and tissue transplants have tested positive for hepatitis, and a third, a man in his 70s, claims he tested positive for a venereal disease.



Oddly enough these investigations first started when The New York Times revealed that the bones of "Masterpiece Theatre" host Alistair Cooke were stolen before he was cremated.

Susan Cooke Kittredge, Cooke's daughter, reportedly told The New York Times she was informed by authorities that the organizations purchased the bone parts after being given paperwork which falsely stated Cooke died of a heart attack at age 85.

The truth of the matter was Cooke was actually 95 and had cancer when he died, which gives me grave concern as too just how far reached this appalling practice is in the US and other countries.

Some experts claim sales of skin tissues and human transplant parts exceed $450 million a year. It is also said tendons, veins, bones and heart valves from just one body can net over $215,000.

I am also wondering if perhaps there are some doctors involved in this conspiracy since a normal layman does not have the expertise to remove veins, tendons and heart valves?






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[edit on 1/10/2006 by shots]

[edit on 1-10-2006 by Valhall]

This is a nasty story. Taking body parts without permission of the donor is totally unethical, and the fact that was done under the table raises health concerns since I'm sure they weren't rigorously tested for disease.

I wonder what can be done to prevent this from happening again?

This has happend in the UK, in Liverpool. It was called the 'Alder Hey scandal' they kept body parts, tissue samples and sometimes whole bodeys of babies. This all hapend about 20 years ago, my famaly have gone through this. It is a disgusting practise and these people deserve to be jailed, which in this case nothing happend to them.

I will post some links but you realy need to google this to get the full picture of what happend.

BBC

Another

Wikipedia

Please take a look and tell me what you think.

Pickle I find that just as disgusting as what is happening in the US now, however there seems to be one very big difference in that case as I gather was it done by only one doctor and he only saved the organs and tissues nor did he sell them for profit as is the case here.

Everybody is out there to make a buck and they careless if is from death people.

The death can not complain anymore.

Sick.

Now this is a real conspiracy. Great find.

There is no doubt that the illegal trade in body parts is booming. ...So is it morally less or more reprehensible to a) take parts from dead people or b) pay some starving paisan the equivalent of $50 for a kidney, knowing he likely will become disabled and die young without it?

One woman in New York receved a bone tissue transplant and now has syphillis from it. Some hospitals, sensibly enough, are alerting at risk patients, mostly through letters.

SCI the world largest "funneral" provider was investigated for this very issue several years ago. My memory says they were found "guilty". They sold organs and blood...............