Politics & Government

Cook County to Donate Bodies to Science When Families Can't Afford Burial

The county will be donating more bodies for medical research.

Bodies left for more than two weeks at the Cook County Medical Examiner's office will be donated to medical research if the families can't afford a burial, according to a Sun-Times Media report

According to the chief medical examiner Dr. Nancy Jones, the policy is "effective immediately."

Under the new policy, the medical examiner's office is obligated to notify the family that the remains will be released to the Anatomical Gift Association within two weeks of the body having being received at the morgue.

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The county, which includes , will bury bodies if they are decomposed, infected with the AIDS virus as well as bodies that weigh more than 300 pounds.

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