Humanizing Donor Terminology in Anatomical and Clinical Research: Best Ethical Practice in Anatomy (BEPA) Consensus Statement From the Universal Anatomical Organization (UAO)

Abstract

Anatomical education and research are built on the generosity of individuals who donate their bodies to advance science. However, the terminology traditionally used to describe these individuals-"specimens," "cadavers," or "cadaveric specimens"-risks objectifying the donor and obscuring their humanity. This paper examines the historical roots of depersonalized language, its persistence in contemporary research, and the ethical implications of its continuing use. Drawing on comparisons with the organ donation and transplantation literature and on calls within anatomy for reforming terminology, we propose humanizing alternatives such as "body donor," "donor body," or "anatomical donor." The discussion emphasizes how terminology influences pedagogy, professional culture, and public trust in body donation programs. By embracing more respectful language, anatomists, surgeons, physicians, and dentists can better honor the gift of body donation and highlight the humanity of those who continue to teach us even after death, for example, Hic locus est ubi mors gaudet succurrere vitae.