American Association for Anatomy recommendations for the management of legacy anatomical collections

Jon Cornwall; Thomas H. Champney; Carlina de la Cova; Dominic Hall; Sabine Hildebrandt; Jason C. Mussell; Andreas Winkelmann; Valerie B. DeLeon

doi:10.1002/ar.25410

journal article Open Access Mar 18, 2024

American Association for Anatomy recommendations for the management of legacy anatomical collections

Jon Cornwall

The Anatomical Record Vol. 307 No. 8 pp. 2787-2815 · Wiley

View at Publisher Save 10.1002/ar.25410

Abstract

AbstractCollections of human remains in scientific and private institutions have a long tradition, though throughout history there has often been variable regard for the respect and dignity that these tissues demand. Recent public scandals around the use of human remains, coupled with an increasing community awareness around accountability in such instances, forces scholars to confront the ethical and moral concerns associated with these collections. This includes specific focus on the acquisition, storage, use, and disposition of these remains, which were often collected with no consent and with little knowledge, or concern, about the individual or their respective culture and practices surrounding death and postmortem treatment. As a response, the American Association for Anatomy convened a Legacy Anatomical Collections Task Force to consider these issues and to develop recommendations to assist those working with these tissues in education, research, and museum collections. This has culminated with the development of Recommendations for the Management of Legacy Anatomical Collections. The recommendations provide both an ethical foundation and practical considerations for the use, storage, and disposition of legacy collections of human tissues, and deliver guidance for establishing appropriate management and oversight, investigating provenance, and engaging with communities of care. While these Recommendations are considered a living document which will change over time as ethical principles concerning human tissue evolve, they currently represent ‘best practice’ recommendations that can guide researchers, teachers, and museum associates as they consider the future of legacy anatomical collections in their care.

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References

Details

Published: Mar 18, 2024
Vol/Issue: 307(8)
Pages: 2787-2815
License: View

Authors

J

Jon Cornwall

Centre for Early Learning in Medicine, Otago Medical School University of Otago Dunedin New Zealand

T

Thomas H. Champney

Department of Cell Biology University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Miami Florida USA

C

Carlina de la Cova

Department of Anthropology University of South Carolina Columbia South Carolina USA

D

Dominic Hall

Manager, Curation and Stewardship, Anatomy and Artifact Collections, Center for the History of Medicine at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School Boston Massachusetts USA

S

Sabine Hildebrandt

Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School Boston Massachusetts USA

J

Jason C. Mussell

Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans Louisiana USA

A

Andreas Winkelmann

Institute of Anatomy Medical School Brandenburg Theodor Fontane Neuruppin Germany

V

Valerie B. DeLeon

Department of Anthropology University of Florida Gainesville Florida USA

Cite This Article

Jon Cornwall, Thomas H. Champney, Carlina de la Cova, et al. (2024). American Association for Anatomy recommendations for the management of legacy anatomical collections. The Anatomical Record, 307(8), 2787-2815. https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.25410

American Association for Anatomy recommendations for the management of legacy anatomical collections

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