European Journal of Anatomy

Official Journal of The Spanish Society of Anatomy
Cover Volume 23 - Number 6
Eur J Anat, 23 (6): 469-477 (2019)

Anatomy acts in India: a review

Vaishaly Bharambe1, Vatsalaswamy Puranam2, P.R. Manvikar2, PallaviBajpayee2

1Department of Anatomy, Symbiosis Medical College for Women, Symbiosis International (deemed University), La-vale, Pune, India, 2Department of Anatomy, Dr D Y Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Center, Pimpri, Pu-ne, India

ABSTRACT The paucity of human cadavers for study of anat-omy by dissection and the dark history related to this led to formulation of Anatomy Acts in most countries of the world. In India too, almost every state has its own anatomy Act with variable differ-ences in the acts per state.The objective of this article was to compare the Maharashtra State Anatomy Act which was the first Anatomy act formulated in India, with anatomy Acts of other states in India and to make sugges-tions regarding areas within the Acts that may need reformulation.Details of the Anatomy Acts from different states of India and articles related to them were obtained after a comprehensive search of databases such as Pubmed, Scopus, medline etc. The obtained data was studied and compared.The study suggested removal of ??therapeutic us-es of cadavers? from the jurisdiction of anatomy acts, and that all anatomy acts must allow for hu-man body donation. While defining the unclaimed body, most Anatomy Acts failed to specify the time period within which the body may be claimed and also it was necessary to specify the age of person who may claim the body or give consent for body donation. The Anatomy Acts must make provision for transfer of surplus bodies from one Institute to another. The directives for disposal of the bodiesonce utilized seem difficult to implement in practi-cality and need to be reformulated to adjust to the need of the modern times. The authors appeal for formulation of a central single Indian anatomy act applicable uniformly throughout India.

Keywords: Anatomy Act ?? Body donation ?? Un-claimed body

European Journal of anatomy
ISSN 2340-311X (Online)