What can be donated
Donating Post-Mortem Tissue for MS Research
What can I donate?
Since MS is a disease of the brain and spinal cord, these tissues are of most use to research. Changes in the optic nerve, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and blood vessels are also observed in MS, and therefore these and other tissues/fluids may also provide useful information for studying the causes of MS. Donors can specify on the Consent Form which specific tissues and/or fluids they wish to donate, although the current donation protocol in most states only includes the brain and spinal cord.
What does it mean to be a Brain Donor?
By signing the informed consent form to become a Brain Donor, you grant permission for a post‐mortem examination of your brain (and spinal cord) to be conducted in accordance with national laws and regulations. These tissues are dissected and stored for the purpose of distribution to approved researchers. You also give permission for the MS Australia Brain Bank to access your medical records so that the brain material can be correlated your clinical history of symptoms and drug therapy for effective research. All your details will be kept private and confidential.
Consented tissue is removed from a person with MS only under the following circumstances:
- The donor has died and a death certificate stating the cause of death has been signed by a medical practitioner (i.e. the death is not subject to coronial investigation).
- The donor had, during his/her lifetime, given informed consented to the removal and use of his/her tissue for research purposes and had not withdrawn their consent prior to death.
- The donor’s senior available next-of-kin consents and does not object, to the donor’s brain donation at the time of death of the donor.
- The donor does not have any proven infectious diseases.
- The designated officer of the hospital authorises the brain donation to take place.
- The post mortem interval does not exceed 24 hours.
