Florida Statute 406.60
“Disposition of human remains after use”
What it means
Florida Statute 406.60 answers the last question in the donation sequence: what happens when the teaching is done. Once human remains have been used for medical or dental education or research and are of no further value to it, the anatomical board — or a cinerator facility licensed under chapter 497 — may dispose of the remains, or any part of them, by cremation.
The section authorizes cremation specifically; it is the standard end of the willed-body process in Florida.
- Applies when remains are no longer of value to medical or dental education or research.
- Disposition is by cremation, performed by the anatomical board or a chapter 497-licensed cinerator facility.
- Covers the remains or any part thereof — partial remains are included.
How it plays out
The question families actually ask is whether anything comes back, and the statute does not answer it — it authorizes cremation and stops. Whether cremated remains are returned to the family, and on what timeline, is set by the receiving program's own paperwork. We tell anyone planning a whole-body donation to get that answer in writing before death: reputable Florida programs state a timeframe for returning cremated remains, and the moment to ask is while the donor can still choose the program.
Questions people ask
