Law 10/2020
Before the 2020 law
Until 2020, our legal system did not provide any regulations governing the post-mortem disposal of one's body for the purposes of study, training and scientific research. The only reference was a 1933 state law authorizing the use, for scientific purposes, of “unclaimed bodies” or whose “relationships with family and friends” had been “dissolved.”
In 2013, the National Bioethics Committee emphasized the importance of a consent freely given during one’s lifetime, and ruled as unethical to use a body in the absence of a free and informed decision by the person involved.
Law of 10 February 2020, no. 10
Law 10/2020 regulates the post-mortem whole body donation for the purposes of study, training and scientific research, thus filling a regulatory gap. It establishes that a corpse can only be donated if the person has given consent during their lifetime, in accordance with the procedures set out by law.
Furthermore, it guarantees compliance with the wishes of the individual and lays down clear rules for the use of a body for scientific and research purposes, supporting the advancement and improvement of expertise in healthcare.
Learn more
Read the complete text of the law and other legal references (texts are in Italian).