Texas Administrative Code › Title 25 - HEALTH SERVICES › Part 4 - ANATOMICAL BOARD OF THE STATE OF TEXAS › Chapter 479 - FACILITIES: STANDARDS AND INSPECTIONS › Section 479.5 - Abuse of a Corpse

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a) Definition.
				Abuse of a corpse is defined in Texas Penal Code §
									42.10. In the code
				dissection in an authorized institution by authorized persons is specifically
				exempted from this provision. The board has determined:
(1) dissection of human cadaveric materials
				in health science, and related, education and research, and activities found by
				the board to be related to dissection (see paragraph (2) of this subsection)
				are a special privilege and are legally authorized for members and students of
				the health, and related, professions for the purpose of the advancement of
				knowledge in these fields. Exercise of this authority is accompanied by solemn
				obligations to conduct all activities related to such dissection with respect
				and dignity. Authorized dissection shall take place under supervision of
				trained and qualified persons, and only in specified locations that have been
				approved by the board and which meet the standards set forth in §
										479.3 of
				this title (relating to Standards for Facilities). Bodies, or parts of a body,
				shall not be removed from the specified locations without permission of the
				board or of an authorized representative of the board;
(2) the following activities are integrally
				related to dissection:
(A) procurement of
				bodies:
(i) removal from the place of death,
				hospital, morgue, medical examiner's office, or mortuary; and transfer to a
				proper site for embalming;
(ii)
				transfer to storage site or dissecting facility approved by the
				board;
(B) distribution
				of bodies: removal from one storage site and transfer to another approved
				facility designated by the board;
(C) handling of bodies:
(i) embalming;
(ii) placement in storage;
(iii) removal from storage;
(iv) placement on dissecting table in a
				facility designated approved by the board;
(D) dissection: cutting or otherwise
				separating body components for the purpose of demonstrating or investigating
				structural relationships of tissues, organs, or systems.
(E) use of bodies in biomedical research:
				removal of body parts or constituents and subjection thereof to further
				manipulation for the purpose of advancing scientific knowledge;
(F) disposal of remains:
(i) removal from the dissecting
				table;
(ii) transfer to crematory
				or burial site;
(iii) cremation or
				burial;
(iv) final disposition of
				cremains.
(3)
				use of human cadaveric materials in training human remains detection canines
				and other forensic science procedures are a special privilege and are legally
				authorized for active members of search organizations and forensic science
				programs. Exercise of this authority is accompanied by solemn obligations to
				conduct all activities related to such training with respect and dignity.
				Authorized activities shall take place under supervision of trained and
				qualified persons, and only in specified locations that have been approved by
				the board and which meet the standards set forth in §
										479.3 of
				this title (relating to Standards for Facilities).