§ 142.1 — Delivery of bodies

Iowa § 142.1

• Jurisdiction: Iowa
• Title IV: PUBLIC HEALTH
• Ch. 142: DEAD BODIES FOR SCIENTIFIC PURPOSES

Text

Thebodyofeverypersonwhodiedinapublicasylum,hospital,penitentiary,orreformatory
in this state, or found dead within the state, or who is to be buried at public expense in this
state, except those buried under the provisions of chapter 144C or 249, and which is suitable
forscientificpurposes,shallbedeliveredtothemedicalcollegeofthestateuniversity,orsome
osteopathic or chiropractic college or school located in this state, which has been approved
under the law regulating the practice of osteopathic medicine or chiropractic; but no such
bodyshallbedeliveredtoanysuchcollegeorschoolifthedeceasedpersonexpressedadesire
during the person’s last illness that the person’s body should be buried or cremated, nor if
such is the desire of the person’s relatives. Such bodies shall be equitably distributed among
said colleges and schools according to their needs for teaching anatomy in accordance with
such rules as may be adopted by the department of health and human services. The expense
of transporting said bodies to such college or school shall be paid by the college or school
receiving the same. If the deceased person has not expressed a desire during the person’s
last illness that the person’s body should be buried or cremated and no person authorized
to control the deceased person’s remains under section 144C.5 requests the person’s body
for burial or cremation, and if a friend objects to the use of the deceased person’s body for
scientific purposes, said deceased person’s body shall be delivered to such friend for burial
or cremation at no expense to the state or county. Unless such friend provides for burial and
burial expenses within five days, the body shall be used for scientific purposes under this
chapter.

Legislative History

[C73, §4018; C97, §4946; S13, §4946-b; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §2351; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §142.1]