Increased security planned for Willed Body Program

SAN FRANCISCO””mdash;The UC Board of Regents discussed Wednesday
a plan to increase the security of UCLA’s Willed Body
Program, which was shut down last March after it was racked by a
scandal involving the sale of cadavers.

Former Gov. George Deukmejian, who was asked last spring to
serve as an independent counsel in overseeing willed body reforms,
told the regents his investigation of oversights showed a
“clear lack of standards” in accounting for specimens
and keeping records.

Some of the biggest security improvements that have been made
include the use of new, high-tech security locks that recognize
individuals and the elimination of middlemen in dealing with and
transporting body parts.

According to the regents’ meeting agenda, a report
produced by an Atlanta-based consulting group in November includes
plans for over four dozen steps to enhance fraud protection.

“The things that are in place would prevent the things
that happened in 2004 from happening today,” said Michael
Drake, UC Vice President for health affairs.

Officials met in December to talk about implementation of the
improvements, of which they hope to have 85 percent in place by
March.

Policies the regents agree to put into action will affect all
five UC campuses with willed body programs.

Compiled by Sara Taylor and Charlotte Hsu, Bruin senior
staff, and Bruin wire reports.