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SYDNEY - Police are investigating claims that human bodies donated to a Sydney university have been shamefully mistreated, NSW Health Minister John Hatzistergos says.
The University of NSW's school of anatomy's licence to conduct anatomy classes was revoked in November, after an audit found improper labelling and storage of human remains. Documents later also revealed allegations that body parts had been interfered with sexually and piled together in coffins.
The school's head of medical sciences Denis Wakefield says the mistreatment allegedly included the fondling of breasts and vaginas and using the head of a torso for "inappropriate and degrading purposes", Fairfax reports.
Professor Wakefield said a former employee had also allegedly failed to place the cadavers and their parts back in the proper coffins for burial.
"These are appalling and deeply concerning allegations," Mr Hatzistergos told AAP today.
"The generosity of people who donate their bodies for medical research benefit us all in the training of our doctors and the advancement of medical research.
"These people, and their families, deserve to know their remains are being treated with dignity and respect.
"We have taken what action we can and the matter has now been referred to police."
Mr Hatzistergos said NSW Health was the regulator of the laboratory, but it did not have jurisdiction over staff misconduct and potentially criminal matters.
- AAP
