Experts call for clear guidelines around the 'ethical' disposal of human teaching skeletons

Experts have called for guidelines around the disposal of real human skeletons obtained by Australian medical students more than 40 years ago.The Coroners Court of Victoria and Victoria Police said all human remains should be reported to them.

But as time went on, the bones ended up forgotten in a Melbourne garage, as work and raising five children took over. These schools ran into problems sourcing skeletons among their own populations, and then looked overseas to Western colonies, particularly India. Mr Coman's fascination with the skeleton extended into adulthood, and he co-wrote the first Australian research paper on real human bones used in medical education in 2022.

Mr Coman also contacted a number of anatomy schools across the country, and while most were willing to accept donations, he found they were unlikely to accept them on a larger scale.No clear pathway for people who have human bone sets "The management of human bones previously used for medical purposes following a coronial investigation will be dependent upon the circumstances of the case and whether the origins of the remains can be established," the spokesperson said.

Dr Rowbotham said the institute had a steady stream of people and organisations contacting them about these teaching sets, at a rate of about twice a month. She said there were more than two dozen Schools of Anatomy around Victoria, which were licensed to hold and educate using these sets. While the Coroners Court of Victoria were willing to accept them, Mr Coman said it was not as clear cut in other states and territories.

"While there's a utilitarian justification for the use of these bones, in that we have a need to train health sciences student, we have to balance that against the principles of autonomy and respect for the dead," he said.

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