Lawmakers Call for Crackdown on Bodies Exhibits
Bill Would Prohibit Importation of Any 'Plastinated' Human Body Part Into the U.S.
Gunther von Hagens who invented the plastination process puts on another show featuring plastinated bodies called "Body Worlds." He, too, would be affected as his plastination factory is located on the German-Polish border. Von Hagens says all his bodies are donated and that he no longer works with corpses obtained from China.
The bill has been referred to the House Ways and Means Committee. No hearings have yet been scheduled.
California and Pennsylvania state representatives have introduced bills requiring the exhibitions to provide documentation proving that each body on display comes from a person who legally consented. The Pennsylvania bill has been assigned to the House Judiciary Committee while the California bill is on the State Senate floor.