In 1993, a body donation program was established by the Institute for Plastination (IfP), founded by Dr. Gunther von Hagens. The program enables an individual to donate their body through willed legal consent during their lifetime, for the education of future generations.
The IfP body donation program is the sole source of the human specimens used by von Hagens Plastination (vHP) in the production of plastinated specimens, and represents the ethical cornerstone of our work. Donors are provided with comprehensive information relating to how their body will be used. Our plastination services to the medical and scientific community would not be possible without the bequests of our body donors, both living and deceased. We are proud of the trust they placed in us and their commitment to partner with us to advance medical knowledge.
Currently the program has more than 20,000 registered body donors, around 2,600 of them whom are deceased. Donors originate from more than 33 countries, with the majority being from Germany (~85%) and the United States (~10%).
"Anatomical dissection opens up the profoundness of nature to us more than any other endeavor or consideration."
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
The Institute for Plastination in Heidelberg, Germany is the administrator of the Body Donation Program for plastination. It has a roster of 19,977 registered donors (as of December 2022), the majority of the donors are German.
Further information on the Institute for Plastination body donation program is available in our booklet "Body Donation for Plastination," which is intended for interested donors, and in our comprehensive "Body Donation Review," which is available for partners and collaborators to learn details about our ethical practices.
Where does the human tissue used in von Hagens Plastination specimens come from?
von Hagens Plastination exclusively uses human tissue derived from body donors that have donated their body for plastination for anatomical and healthcare education. All donations are made in life under full and informed consent. The body donation program is managed by the Institute for Plastination and is subject to independent audit.
Can I donate my body to the Institute for Plastination for use in Plastination?
Yes. Click here to learn more.
Why is there a charge for plastinated specimens when the human tissue is donated?
von Hagens Plastination does not sell or make a charge for human tissue. The costs associated with a qualified user acquiring human tissue containing specimens (HP, HS, HB) relate to the costs of production (e.g., person time, equipment, consumables and facilities), research, development, academic endeavor, customer engagement, and administrative and after-sales services. Every human specimen is hand crafted with care, with some taking 1500-2000h of work to complete.