Key facts
- Harvard Medical School agreed to a $53 million settlement to resolve class action lawsuits.
- The lawsuits were filed by 47 relatives of body donors whose remains were sold.
- Former morgue manager Cedric Lodge was sentenced to eight years in prison for stealing and selling body parts.
- The settlement covers donors whose remains were potentially mishandled between January 1, 2018, and March 31, 2023.
- Harvard will establish two settlement funds totaling $53 million, pending court approval.
Harvard Medical School has agreed to a $53 million settlement to resolve class action lawsuits brought by relatives of body donors whose remains were allegedly stolen and sold by the school's former morgue manager, Cedric Lodge. The settlement, announced by Deans George Q. Daley and Bernard S. Chang, aims to address the "despicable, abhorrent, and flagrant betrayal of our values" caused by Lodge's actions.
Lodge, who was sentenced to eight years in prison last year, was at the center of a scheme involving the sale of body parts, including brains, skin, hands, and faces, to buyers for purposes such as being tanned into leather. His wife, Denise Lodge, also received a prison sentence for her role in assisting him. Six other individuals who purchased remains from Lodge have also been sentenced.
The lawsuits were filed by 47 relatives of individuals who donated their bodies to Harvard for research and education. The settlement will cover relatives or designees of donors whose remains were potentially mishandled between January 1, 2018, and March 31, 2023. Harvard stated it cannot precisely determine which donors' remains were affected but has reviewed information from federal investigators and its own records.
In addition to the financial settlement, Harvard Medical School has committed to providing families with a statement condemning Lodge's actions and outlining improvements made to its Anatomical Gift Program. The school also plans to establish an annual financial aid scholarship for medical students, beginning in the 2027-28 academic year, in honor of anatomical donors. Harvard has implemented recommendations from an external expert panel to enhance the program's oversight.