A temporary halt will be placed on UCLA’s acceptance of donated bodies until an investigation into the alleged illegal sale of cadaver parts from the UCLA Medical Center is completed, the university announced Tuesday.
During a Superior Court hearing Tuesday between UCLA representatives and attorneys representing donor families, university attorney Louis Marlin said UCLA will no longer accept donor bodies and will hold already-donated bodies in storage until the investigation finishes.
The temporary restraining order was issued by Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Bruce Mitchell.
Under the court order, cadavers already in use in the gross anatomy lab will still be available for the purposes of teaching medical students until the school year terminates.
“We truly appreciate the court’s acknowledgement of our educational mission,” said Gerald Levey, vice chancellor of UCLA Medical Sciences and dean of the David Geffen School of Medicine, in a statement released soon after the temporary halt was decided.
Marlin said the decision was made by the high-ranking medical center and campus officials as the best option to preserve the quality of UCLA’s medical education program, faced with a continuing investigation of the illegal sale of body parts by employees of the center.
“The decision was felt to be necessary to show the efficacy of UCLA’s medical education program, its commitment to resolve problems that exist (and) address issues that have been raised,” Marlin said.
The halt was issued amid a lawsuit filed Monday against the university, which charges the school of mishandling the ashes of donated bodies, on behalf of donor families. The lawsuit sought a preliminary injunction, asking the court to step in and ensure the UCLA Willed Body Program is run properly.
Raymond Boucher, an attorney representing the families, said he was surprised and pleased by the decision to temporarily halt the program.
“You’re dealing with a program with a troubled past and a troubled present,” he said.
Marlin said he hopes both sides can reach an agreement regarding injunctive relief.
“We’re confident we’ll work with the opposing counsel to make terms of the injunction that will be acceptable to both sides,” Marlin said.
The lawsuit alleges that university officials were negligent in allowing the body parts to be sold illegally. Attorneys representing donor families plan to seek class-action status.
Boucher was the lead attorney in a 1996 lawsuit against the university, alleging that the Willed Body Program handled donated bodies “without dignity.” That suit claimed the bodies were mixed with medical waste and that cremated remains were disposed of improperly. Two plaintiffs from that case are in the most recent suit.
Boucher added that the new suit is aimed at providing peace of mind to family members of donors, and it will seek compensation for those who will not be able to resolve what happened to their loved ones.
Tuesday’s decision presents yet another strain on the Willed Body Program, which has been entangled in controversy in recent days as an investigation into the alleged illegal sale of body parts continues.
University police arrested Henry Reid, 54, the director of the program, on Saturday and charged him with grand theft. An alleged middleman, Ernest Nelson, 46, was also arrested this past weekend on the charges of receiving stolen body parts. According to a Los Angeles Times report, Nelson allegedly resold the body parts to large corporations, including pharmaceutical companies.
There have been no new developments on the charges against Reid and Nelson, said Nancy Greenstein, UCPD director of police community services.
Greenstein also said Reid is expected to be arraigned March 30 and Nelson, who is not a UCLA employee, on May 7, but added that the dates are tentative and may be changed. No trial dates for either defendant have been set.
Reid and Nelson were released from jail after posting $20,000 and $30,000 bail, respectively.
Reid and a second unnamed UCLA employee were placed on leave more than a week ago.
Nelson has contested the university’s allegations and has said UCLA officials were fully aware of the fact that he cut up close to 800 donated bodies.
An internal university investigation, sparked by Nelson’s attorney that demanded payment for body parts Nelson was forced to return to the Medical Center, led to the current criminal investigation. At the end of the university’s inquiry, Reid and the unnamed employee were placed on administrative leave.
Both Marlin and the university have declined to comment on the unnamed employee who has yet to be noticeably mentioned in the case.
A university spokeswoman said the identity of this employee would not be made public unless an arrest was made. The university routinely does not comment on personnel issues.
Marlin also emphasized that the decision to halt the Willed Body Program was not a reaction to the current lawsuit, but was based on what the university had uncovered.
With reports from Bruin wire services.