Well, not quite — but the network of people who have opposed the for-profit use of unclaimed and “un-donated” bodies in plastination exhibits scored several impressive victories recently.
After an extensive investigation of the origin of the bodies, the New York State Attorney General announced on May 29 that Premier had agreed to a settlement that acknowledged that the company could not disprove allegations that its bodies had been obtained through informed consent.
Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said, “The grim reality is that Premier Exhibitions has profited from displaying the remains of individuals who may have been tortured and executed in China. Despite repeated denials, we now know that Premier itself cannot demonstrate the circumstances that led to the death of the individuals. Nor is Premier able to establish that these people consented to their remains being used in this manner. Respect for the dead and respect for the public requires that Premier do more than simply assure us that there is no reason for concern. This settlement is a start.”
Under the settlement, Premier has to obtain written documentation demonstrating the source of each body and body part, the cause of death, and the decedent’s consent to the use of his or her body before displaying a body as part of any New York exhibit. Additionally, Premier has to offer refunds to all customers who can establish that they attended the New York exhibition and who represent that they would not have done so if they had known of the questionable origins of the bodies and parts on display.
Premier also had to hire an independent monitor — at its own expense and for a term of 2 years — to ensure that the terms of the settlement are followed and oversee the refund process.
A month earlier, Congressman Todd Akin (R-Mo) introduced a bill that would prohibit the importation into the US of plastinated remains.
The bill follows similar legislation proposed in Pennsylvania and California to regulate this shady business and ensure that companies obtain consent before putting remains on display.
Plastination exhibits continue to draw in visitors on the dubious (at best) claims that they have obtained consent. But consumers seem to be wising up. For instance, the final visitor count in Pittsburgh was 267,000 according to the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. Initially, the Carnegie Science Center hoped to draw 300,000 visitors during the seven-month run.