Compiled from an official source version. Later amendments or repeals may not be reflected; the official text prevails. · Read the official text ↗
Person may donate his or her body
3. Any person who is not mentally disordered and who is 18 years of age or above may give all or any part of his or her body for any of the purposes specified in section 7, the gift to take effect upon death.
Relatives may donate body of deceased person
4.—(1) Any of the persons specified in the Schedule, in the order of priority stated, when persons in prior classes are not available at the time of death, and in the absence of actual notice of contrary indications by the deceased person, or actual notice of opposition of a member of the same class or a prior class, may give all or any part of the body of the deceased person for the purposes specified in section 7. (2) The persons authorised by subsection (1) may make the gift after death or immediately before death.
When donee should not accept gift
5. The donee of a gift of a body or any part of a body must not accept the gift if the donee has actual notice of contrary indications by the deceased person or that a gift by a member of a class is opposed by a member of the same class or a prior class.
Medical examination of body
6. A gift of all or any part of a body authorises any examination necessary to assure medical acceptability of the gift for the purposes intended.
Purposes of anatomical gifts, etc.
7. The following persons may become donees of gifts of bodies or parts of bodies for the purposes stated:(a) any approved hospital for medical or dental education, research, advancement of medical or dental science, therapy or transplantation; (b) any approved medical or dental school, college or university for medical or dental education, research, advancement of medical or dental science, therapy or transplantation; (c) any specified individual for therapy or transplantation needed by the individual.
Mode of executing gift
8. A gift of all or any part of a body under section 3 may be made by the donor either in writing at any time or orally in the presence of 2 or more witnesses during a last illness.
Revocation of gift
9. A gift of a body or any part of a body may be revoked by the donor at any time —(a) by a signed statement in writing delivered to the donee; (b) by an oral statement made in the presence of 2 or more persons and communicated to the donee; or (c) by a written document to that effect found on his or her person or in his or her effects.
Donee need not be specified
10.—(1) A gift of all or any part of the body of a deceased person may be made to a specified donee or without specifying a donee. (2) If the gift is made without specifying a donee, the designated officer of the approved hospital in which the death of the deceased person has taken place or to which the body of the deceased person has been removed may accept the gift as donee upon or following the death for the purposes of section 7(a) or (b), as the case may be.
Rights and duties of donee
11.—(1) A donee may accept or reject a gift of a body or part of a body. (2) If the gift is of a part of the body of a deceased person, the donee must cause the part to be removed without unnecessary mutilation. (3) After removal of the part of the body under subsection (2), custody of the remainder of the body vests in the surviving spouse, next‑of‑kin or other person under obligation to dispose of the body.
Authority to remove parts of unclaimed bodies
12. Where the body of a deceased person has not been claimed from an approved hospital or from an institution maintained on public funds, for more than 24 hours after death, the Director‑General may authorise in writing the use of the body or any specified part for the purposes of medical or dental education, research, advancement of medical or dental science, therapy or transplantation.[Act 11 of 2023 wef 01/05/2023]
Provisions on this page are reproduced verbatim from official open data. See the attribution line.
Compiled from an official source version. Later amendments or repeals may not be reflected; the official text prevails. Read the official text ↗
Source: Singapore Statutes Online (Attorney-General's Chambers), © Government of Singapore.
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