Harvard Faces Legal Battle Over Alleged Mishandling of Donated Bodies

Families can sue Harvard University for alleged mishandling of donated bodies at its medical school, after Massachusetts' top court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs. The court found that Harvard failed to comply with legal obligations, allowing a morgue manager to sell body parts on the black market.

Harvard University is facing legal action from families alleging that it mishandled the bodies of loved ones donated to its medical school, as ruled by Massachusetts' top court on Monday. The families claim that parts of cadavers were illicitly sold by the former morgue manager.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court stated that a trial court judge had improperly dismissed lawsuits against Harvard for failing to manage its morgue properly. The alleged "macabre scheme" involved dissection and illegal sale of body parts used for research.

The court has revived claims against the managing director of Harvard's anatomical gift program amid ongoing investigations into the matter. Families accuse Harvard of negligence, highlighting that the issue persisted until 2023 and was overlooked despite legal requirements for dignified treatment of donated bodies.

(With inputs from agencies.)