Variability in <scp>UK</scp> Body Donation Information: A Comparison of Bequeathal Information and Consent Forms With Recommendations for Standardization

The use of human donor bodies for anatomical examination in the United Kingdom is regulated by the Human Tissue Authority (England, Wales, and Northern Ireland) and His Majesty's Inspector of Anatomy for Scotland. This study aimed to assess the variability of information provided to body donors and the associated consent forms across UK anatomy institutions. A total of 24 consent forms and information booklets were collected from all body donation programs across the UK. Building on previous research, each document was assessed against a checklist covering general information about the donation process, purposes and locations of body use, consent requirements, disposition of remains, and accessibility. The analysis revealed significant heterogeneity in the information provided. The findings suggest a need for standardization of body donation information and consent forms to ensure they meet ethical requirements for informed consent and to improve accessibility and inclusivity. Recommendations include ensuring consistency between information provided and consent forms, requiring confirmation of reading the information, standardizing age limits and medical condition statements, providing clear information for next of kin, and ensuring ethical oversight by institutional committees. Further research is needed on donors' perspectives regarding specific aspects of the donation process. These recommendations are proposed to provide a more consistent approach to sharing information about body donation, ultimately suggesting the development of a single, collaboratively produced form and information pack to minimize customization (and thus omissions).