Body Donation and Plastination - Are Government and Anatomical/Forensic societies listening

Abstract

Background: Plastination is an emerging trend amongst Anatomists worldwide and more and more workshops are being conducted in India training anatomists for preparing plastinates. Platination has been viewed as an asset and its shortcomings ignored. The consent for displaying body as plastinate is a major issue. Religious objections considering plastination against reverence towards human body should also be considered. Also donations of bodies for plastination would deprive the health service of organs for transplant. Promotion and creation of sex plastinates is another matter of immense concern. Methods: A structured Questionnaire was prepared in view of the available literature to ascertain the current opinion of Indian anatomists regarding plastination as an alternative to embalming. Results: The results indicate that majority of the anatomists are in favor of the technique for teaching and exhibition. 96% of the anatomists believe that the anatomical societies should have a documented stand on Plastination and 65% feel that body donation for plastination would soon be a reality in India. Conclusion: The author recommends that import of plastinated bodies should be banned in India. Anatomical Society of India/Society of Clinical Anatomists should have a documented stand on Plastination for teaching purposes. For plastination exhibition in India a prior permission from Government of India alongwith monitoring of the exhibition by an anatomical board should be mandatory. Sale of Plastinates by Individuals/bodies/Institutions should be banned in India. In case of theft of plastinate, from a medical Institute informing the police should be made mandatory.