A BILL to direct the Department of Health to convene a work group to evaluate the Virginia State Anatomical Program and its current finances and to provide recommendations to strengthen practices and procedures concerning donor procurement, distribution, and disposition.
HB789 directs the Virginia Department of Health to convene a work group to review the Virginia State Anatomical Program, including its current finances, policies, and procedures. The work group must include representatives from the program, higher education and health-related training programs that use donor materials, research facilities, and professional anatomy organizations, along with other relevant stakeholders.
The group is tasked with assessing whether the program has adequate donor supply and funding in light of the Commonwealth’s growing number of medical, allied health, and research programs. It must develop recommendations to improve donor procurement, distribution, and disposition, and may propose statutory changes to strengthen the program’s operations. The work group must report its findings and recommendations to the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 1, 2026.
If enacted, the bill would not immediately change the substantive law governing the Virginia State Anatomical Program, but it would require the Department of Health to organize a formal review process and produce recommendations for future legislative or administrative action. The bill could affect how donor bodies and anatomical materials are procured, allocated, and disposed of for use by medical schools, colleges, universities, community colleges, allied health programs, and research facilities across Virginia. It also raises the possibility of future funding changes or statutory revisions if the work group identifies gaps in finances or program capacity.
The available context suggests the bill is largely administrative and study-oriented, with no recorded floor debate or committee vote showing opposition or support. Its purpose appears to be broadly practical and responsive to the needs of medical education and research institutions, which generally suggests a neutral-to-positive reception. Because the bill was left in Committee Rules, there is no evidence in the record provided of active advancement or formal controversy.
The main potential points of contention are likely to be whether the Virginia State Anatomical Program needs additional funding, whether current donor procurement and distribution practices are sufficient, and whether statutory changes are necessary. Stakeholders representing medical schools, allied health programs, and research facilities may favor reforms to improve access and efficiency, while concerns could arise over costs, administrative burden, or changes to existing donor disposition procedures. The bill itself does not specify a particular policy change, so any disagreement would likely center on the recommendations produced by the work group rather than the bill’s immediate requirements.