FAQ: What Does AATB Accredited Mean?

When making the decision to donate your body to science, there are many organizations you can choose from. It is important to research each organization that you are considering to ensure that they operate legally and ethically and will treat both you and your loved ones with the utmost dignity and respect. One way to ensure that an organization is on the up-and-up is to choose one of the seven body donation organizations that are accredited through the AATB, the highest available accrediting organization in the US.

The American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) is a national tissue banking organization, dedicated to educating tissue banks around the country on the highest quality, safety, and ethical standards. They were founded in 1976 by a group of physicians and scientists who saw a need for better defined tissue banking industry standards. Eight years after they were formed, the AATB published the first edition of their Standards for Tissue Banking, which is recognized world-wide as the definitive guide for tissue banking best practices.  

Since 1986, the AATB has offered accreditation to organ and tissue transplant programs within the United States. In 2014, they extended their accreditation offerings to include non-transplant tissue banks, also known as whole body donation programs. To date, they have 120 accredited tissue banks in their membership, but only seven of which are for non-transplant purposes.

MedCure achieved AATB accreditation for all 5 of its facilities in 2014, the first year that it was made available to whole body donation programs. There are only a handful of body donation organizations accredited by the AATB at this time. These organizations meet monthly to share best practices, share knowledge, and define the industry. They also adhere to mandatory audits and on-site inspections. We’ve also participated in the revision of the Standards to improve practice and all operate to the highest standards of integrity, ethics and practical rigor.

For further information concerning the American Association of Tissue Banks, go to http://www.aatb.org.

If you are interested in learning more about whole body donation and the role that it plays in advancing medical science, you can visit us online at medcure.org. Or, you can call our 24/7 toll free number 866-560-2525 to speak with one of our knowledgeable Donation Coordinators.