Dozens of people have withdrawn their plans to donate their bodies to Harvard Medical School in the year following the arrest of Cedric Lodge, the school’s morgue manager accused of trafficking in stolen human remains from bodies donated to the school. Last June, Lodge’s arrest shed light on the alleged misconduct, prompting 65 individuals to rescind their registrations, a significant increase from the average of nine in previous years.
Among those who changed their plans is 67-year-old therapist Lauren Mackler, who felt Harvard mismanaged the aftermath of the scandal and showed no accountability. She registered for the program in March 2023 while doing her estate planning, but withdrew her donation after Lodge’s arrest and learning of the dismemberment and sale of donated bodies. Mackler was appalled by Harvard’s negligence and lack of transparency, ultimately disgusted by the situation.
In response to the decrease in donor registrations, Harvard has stated that the numbers fluctuate annually and warned against attributing increases at other medical schools to Lodge’s arrest. Despite this, Mackler hopes her decision to withdraw her donation serves as a small repercussion for Harvard, emphasizing the need for accountability in the handling of anatomical donors. She is one of many who have decided not to contribute to Harvard’s program due to the scandal.
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