Cadavers for Training
A report by USC Annenberg Media reveals that the University of Southern California (USC) has sold at least 89 cadavers to the U.S. Navy since 2017 for over $860,000, with 32 used in trauma surgery training for Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) medical teams at Los Angeles General Medical Center. The program, run by the Navy Trauma Training Center, simulates battlefield injuries using donated or unclaimed bodies sourced from USC’s Anatomical Gift Program and LA County’s Office of Decedent Affairs.
Ethical concerns have emerged, with anatomy professor Thomas Champney emphasizing the need for dignity in handling remains, and an anonymous Keck physician criticizing the facility’s focus on desensitization over life-saving skills. USC defends the initiative as advancing medical standards in line with regulations, while LA County highlights its partnership’s benefits for U.S. military training but clarifies no foreign nationals participate under their contract. The latest agreement could extend through 2026, adding up to $200,000 more in funding.