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The University of Southern California sold at least 32 unclaimed cadavers to the U.S. Navy for medical training programs that included Israeli military healthcare teams, according to an investigation by the university's own journalism school.
The findings, reported by Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, stem from an investigation conducted by Annenberg Media, part of USC's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. The investigation revealed that bodies were transferred to the Navy without prior consent from the deceased or their families.
According to the reporting, USC has delivered dozens of bodies to the American Navy since 2017, with some used in specialized medical training sessions for Israeli healthcare personnel in Los Angeles. Documents showed that at least 32 bodies were used directly in trauma treatment courses for Israeli military personnel.
The Navy paid USC more than $860,000 for the cadavers, with the total amount likely to exceed $1 million by 2026 under an existing contract, according to the investigation.
The training sessions took place at Los Angeles General Medical Center, operated by the American Navy Trauma Training Center. The center provides education not only to U.S. healthcare personnel but also to Israeli teams, the report noted.
The practice has drawn criticism from medical ethics experts, who argue that using bodies for training purposes remains controversial even when legally permitted.
"Even though they are dead, we need to show them the respect and treatment we show to the living," said Professor Thomas Champney of the University of Miami.
USC maintains that the activities were conducted in accordance with California law, which permits the use of unidentified or unclaimed bodies for research and educational purposes.
However, opposition has grown within the university community. Students who reviewed the documents described the practice as "disgusting and a breach of trust," according to the reporting.
One student expressed outrage to the newspaper, saying: "The Israeli occupation army is training with us. Why are we training a foreign army that is currently committing genocide in our public hospitals?"
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