Costs associated with body donation

There are no costs directly involved with whole-body donation to Mayo Clinic. However, there may be expenses related to transportation, filing of death certificates or other required documentation, and the professional services of a funeral home.

Mayo Clinic has a limited fund to reimburse funeral homes for the transportation costs from the place of death to Rochester, Minnesota. Any additional expenses exceeding the fund limit are the responsibility of the donor's estate or family.

The Mayo Clinic Body Donation Program will consider program-registered donors from any state in the U.S. However, the body must be in the donor program's care within 48 hours of death so that Mayo Clinic can get viable samples from the body.

If the donor's death occurs outside the state of Minnesota, the family must work with a local funeral home. The funeral home makes the initial transfer of the body from the place of death to the funeral home. The funeral home also processes all required paperwork in the state of the death, including any permits, coroner authorization and preparation of the death certificate. Due to the licensures issued by each state and to meet the requirements of state statutes, Mayo Clinic coordinates transportation arrangements with the selected funeral home. All funeral home expenses are the family's responsibility.

The farther from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, a death occurs, the greater the challenges, transportation expense and likelihood that the donation will not take place. Please consult your local funeral director about costs.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, is the only Mayo Clinic location with a whole-body donation program. If transporting to Mayo Clinic in Minnesota is too expensive, you may wish to contact a closer medical institution. The Anatomical Board of the State of Florida has compiled a list of accredited institutions in the U.S. that accept whole-body donations.