The Take How US donor bodies were sold for Israeli military training
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May 13, 2026 Dena Takruri, AJ+ senior presenter and investigative reporter, uncovers how bodies donated for science were sold for military surgical training. The conversation probes perfused cadavers used to simulate combat injuries. It examines donor agreements, photos linking trainees to Israeli units, ethical concerns, and the surge of student-led reporting demanding transparency.
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USC Contracts Supplied Cadavers For Israeli Training
- USC received over $1 million from the U.S. Navy since 2018 to supply at least 89 cadavers.
- Contracts explicitly reference the Navy and the Israeli military and some cadavers are used to train Israeli surgical teams in Los Angeles.
Perfused Cadavers Recreated As Lifelike Surgical Patients
- The trainings use fresh, perfused cadavers: recently deceased bodies pumped with fluid to mimic blood flow and ventilated to appear lifelike.
- The method recreates combat trauma realism and desensitizes trainees to blood, increasing fidelity over preserved specimens.
Educational Label Doesn't Remove Military Character
- USC and the Navy call the program educational, but the contracts name the IDF and the course replicates combat injuries, making it de facto military training.
- Israeli military doctors participate and some have been on front lines, linking the training to active military operations.