Harvard agrees to $67m settlement over body parts stolen and sold by former morgue manager
Harvard Medical School agrees to pay $53 million to settle lawsuits from families of donors whose body parts were stolen and sold by a former morgue manager.Summary
Harvard Medical School has agreed to pay US$53 million (S$67 million) to settle class action lawsuits brought by 47 relatives of body donors whose remains were sold on the black market by former morgue manager Cedric Lodge. The settlement, pending court approval, will establish two funds to resolve the cases. Lodge was sentenced to eight years in prison for stealing and selling body parts, including brains, skin, hands, and faces, to buyers. His wife and six others were also sentenced. Harvard stated it cannot precisely identify affected donors but has implemented improvements to its Anatomical Gift Program based on expert recommendations. The school will provide families with a statement condemning Lodge's actions and plans to establish an annual scholarship for medical students in honor of donors. The settlement covers donations made between January 1, 2018, and March 31, 2023.
(Source：Asiaone)