North Texas lawmaker wants to prohibit using unclaimed bodies for medical research

A North Texas lawmaker wants to prohibit the use of unclaimed bodies for medical research following an NBC News investigation into a now-suspended program at the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth.

NBC News found that the center was using unclaimed bodies from Dallas and Tarrant counties for medical research and sold some of them to companies around the country. The program was suspended earlier this month, and Tarrant County commissioners have voted to end their contract with the center “as fast as humanly possible.”

NBC News found at least 12 people whose bodies were used by HSC without their families knowledge or consent.

Texas Sen. Tan Parker, a Flower Mound Republican, told NBC News that he would file legislation to ban the use of unclaimed bodies for research, unless they or their survivors consent.

“I was outraged and completely just disgusted to see what had been occurring,” Parker said, according to NBC News. “Human life is sacred and needs to always be protected, and that is a core principle to me.”

Reached for comment on the proposed law, a spokesperson for HSC wrote in an email Friday that the center did not have any information to share on this matter.

Parker confirmed his plan on Friday in written responses to questions from the Star-Telegram.

“Yes, I fully intend to introduce legislation that will specifically ban the use of unclaimed bodies for medical research,” Parker said. “This is an issue that cannot wait any longer. The use of unclaimed bodies without consent, as we have seen, undermines public trust and is a violation of the fundamental respect for life that Texans hold dear. We need a strong legal framework to ensure these practices are stopped, and I will work to see that this is addressed in the upcoming legislative session.”

Parker said there is a moral obligation to make sure that a person’s remains are not used without “explicit consent,” regardless of “whether they were fortunate enough to have family or not.”

“A law banning medical research on unclaimed bodies will bring Texas in line with modern ethical standards and reflect the compassion and respect that every human being deserves,” Parker said.

Parker filed a bill in 2023 related to the regulation of persons and facilities that handle the donation of bodies or body parts for education or research purposes, including rules around consent for the donations.

His latest proposal to ban using unclaimed bodies for medial research would likely be included in an updated version of that bill, Parker said.

“While that bill already introduced strong protections for the ethical treatment of human bodies, the new legislation will make clear that only the deceased or next of kin can offer informed consent in this process,” Parker said. “The updates to the bill will include provisions that make it absolutely clear that any use of unclaimed bodies without explicit, documented consent will be prohibited. Additionally, we will strengthen the oversight mechanisms to ensure compliance and accountability.”