UC San Diego sent over half of donated bodies to military without family disclosure

UC San Diego sent more than half of the bodies donated to its program between April 2024 and December 2025 to the military, according to records obtained by Times of San Diego. The university is the Department of Defense’s highest-paid supplier of cadavers, indicating a significant role in military medical training and research.

Despite this extensive military use, UCSD’s body donation forms do not disclose to donors or their families that the bodies may be used by the military. This lack of transparency has caused concern among families who were unaware of the military connection.

One family featured in the report had planned to donate their matriarch’s body to UCSD for medical education and research, but they were hesitant due to the university’s policy and the undisclosed military use of the donated bodies.

UCSD operates the nation’s second-largest body donation program, which serves various educational and research purposes. However, the university’s unique practice of not informing donors about military use distinguishes it from most other medical schools with similar programs.

The report by Times of San Diego highlights ethical questions about consent and disclosure in body donation programs, especially when the bodies are used for purposes beyond what donors and families expect.