An investigation has revealed that the University of Southern California (USC) sold donated human bodies to the United States Navy, where some were reportedly used in medical training programs involving Israeli military personnel.
The investigation, published by AJ+ and journalism researchers, stated that since 2018 the university supplied at least 89 donated bodies through agreements connected to training programs for US Navy personnel and Israeli military medical teams.
According to the report, some of the bodies were used in battlefield trauma surgery simulations, including advanced medical exercises designed to imitate real combat injuries using artificial blood circulation systems.
Families of some donors expressed concern after learning that the bodies may have been used for military-related training, saying they were unaware such uses were possible when their relatives donated their remains for scientific research and education.
In its response, University of Southern California said the programs were intended for medical education and surgical training rather than direct combat operations.
Another institution mentioned in the report, University of California San Diego, also denied claims that donated bodies were being used directly for military combat training.
Human rights advocates and some donor families have called for greater transparency and clearer consent procedures before donated bodies are used in programs connected to military or foreign government activities.
The revelations have sparked wider debate in the United States over how universities manage donated human remains and the ethical limits surrounding their use in military-related medical research and training programs.