Research For Life currently pre-registers donors in Arizona and Southern California.
If a death has occurred or is imminent pre-registration is not required, please call 800.229.3244.
Arizona Donor Self Registration Packet Instructions
Donor Prequalification Form:
Donation Authorization Form:
Cremation Authorization Form:
Arizona Donor Registration Form:
Arizona Donor Next of Kin Registration Packet Instructions
Donor Prequalification Form:
Donation Authorization Form:
Cremation Authorization Form:
Arizona Donor Registration Form:
California Donor Self Registration Packet Instructions
Donation Prequalification Form:
Cremation Authorization Form:
California Donor Registration Form:
California Donor Next of Kin Registration Packet Instructions
Donor Prequalification Form:
Donation Authorization Form:
Cremation Authorization Form:
California Donor Registration Form:
We are here for you, 24 hours a day, to report a death or to determine eligibility for a pending death. For non-emergencies or non-urgent pre-registration please call during normal business hours: Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM Arizona Mountain Time
Research For Life Arizona Office: 480.940.1310
Research For Life California Office: 951.719.3334
Our toll-free line: 1.800.229.3244
We have included specific, detailed instructions for each donor registration packet. You can access these instructions by clicking on the instructions link located directly beneath each packet.
Each registration packet contains:
It is important to be as thorough as possible. If the registration packet is not completed properly, Research for Life will return it to you for completion.
Once you have decided whether donation is right for your family, please complete the registration packet and mail it to our main office:
Research For Life
2230 E. Magnolia Street
Phoenix, AZ 85034
If accepted, Research for Life will mail an acceptance letter with registration number, a donor ID card for your wallet, and a copy of the registration packet for your records in about 2 weeks. Upon acceptance into our program please make your loved ones or designee aware of your registration so that your wishes will be honored.
We bridge the gap between donors, medical researchers, and educators. Anatomical donation is an imperative part of advancing medicine by improving surgical procedures and providing breakthroughs for generations to come.
The Donation Authorization Form is not valid until notarized or signed by two witnesses; one witness must be non‐family or a disinterested party. This is required, in most instances, by law.
The Cremation Authorization Form is not valid until signed by one witness.
Your next of kin or representative contact is a very important person. It is their responsibility to ensure Research for Life has been contacted in the event of death. Once contacted, Research for Life will arrange for transportation to our facility. Additional contact will be necessary. Research For Life does not order death certificates. Instructions on how to obtain a certified death certificate will be mailed to the next of kin contact or representative contact.
Donation will be denied if donors next of kin or authorized representative refuses to provide the necessary information to complete the authorization for donation (consent forms) or the death registration forms that are required by each state and/or county where death occurs. Much of this information can be provided in advance in the case of pre-registration but an authorized representative will still be needed to provide some assistance.
Video Content: Research For Life CEO, Garland Shreves, discusses some basic information regarding consent forms, in general, that you may encounter when considering to donate to a whole body donor organization.
At Research For Life we are extremely protective of the information given to us. We will never sell or solicit any information that we have received. The information asked for is required by the state vital registrar to enable death certificate filing. Medical, social, and health-related information is anonymized and shared with researchers or educators for certain projects where such information relating to a donor’s health history is needed.
Hello, my name is Garland Shreves, CEO of Research For Life. I want to take a moment to discuss some very basic information with you regarding consent forms, in general, that you may encounter when considering to donate to a whole body donor organization.
First and foremost, you need to understand and read the consent form, also known as the authorization form or document of gift, so you know what you are consenting to. Ask questions of the organization if you don’t understand something.
All states require, under the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, that consent be granted by an authorized agent of the donor or self-authorization before death.
Each state defines who in the consenting class has the most authority to direct donation. Such as the medical power of attorney, spouse, children, grandchildren, siblings, etc. and differs slightly in each state.
Consent may be given by means of a verbal recorded consent or by a written document of gift.
Research For Life uses a written consent form which can be found on our website.
Understand that the donor or authorizing agent is giving the body to an organization. Once given it belongs to the organization to use in accordance with the consent form.
In other words, the donor organization is free to use the donor provided it does so within the terms
of the consent, it may not use the donor in a manner not consented too.
The consent may state how the body may be used. Educational and/or research purposes or some other purpose may be stated or in the discretion of the donor organization.
Research For Life provides cadavers and/or anatomical specimens for education and research purposes and does not do ballistic testing.
The consent may state that the body will be used in whole or in parts. It may also state that the anatomical parts may be used domestically and or internationally.
And most consents will cover some basic things like consent to test the donor for diseases and order medical records to help best determine the medical suitability for the donation.
The consent may also touch on issues like for profit or nonprofit status and if the donor or anatomical specimens will be used by one or more or both types of entities. Remember that regardless of an organizations tax status they all charge fees to end users who order anatomical specimens and offer those specimens to both for profit and nonprofit entities.
From the very start of the donation process costs to the donor organization begin. 24-hour answering service, transport team to respond 24/7, qualified trained staff paid a livable wage with benefits and retirement, electric, gas, phone, insurances, building payments, maintenance, medical director, and regulatory requirements, and cremation fees. And these are just some of the expenses that an organization may have to cover.
Another item you may see on most authorization forms is a release of liability, a hold harmless agreement, excluding misconduct of course.
Research For Life states clearly it will not and donor or agent agrees that Research For Life will not be held responsible for acts of third parties in connection with the donation.
Another item that reduces a donor organizations liability is the Anatomical Gift Act prohibits criminal, civil or administrative actions provided there is no intentional misconduct on the part of the donor organization. In other words, if the donor organization acted in good faith it is immune and provided some protection from lawsuits.
Another important part on a consent form is the person signing the authorization attests (affirms) that they have the authority to direct the donation. The donor organization accepts the authorizing agent’s authority in good faith barring any information known to it at the time of donation that would contradict the authority of the person authorizing donation.
Remember, should you decide to register, tell your family and friends about your decision.
Also, the donation authorization form is not valid until notarized or signed by two witnesses; one witness must be non-family or disinterested party.
Consent forms contain other important information that you need to read and understand.
All documents of gift or authorizations can be cancelled prior to death.
I want to thank you for taking the time to watch this video and I hope it helped provide you with some basic information regarding whole body donation consent forms. Thank you.