Funeral matters: wishes, rights and documents · France / Switzerland
Body donation: consent, withdrawal and return record
A body-donation dossier belongs to the identified receiving institution and programme, separately from organ donation or medical advance directives. France’s consent framework differs from Swiss institution-specific arrangements. Preserve the information supplied, signed personal choices, identity documents and contact role. Examine withdrawal, acceptance limits and provisions for remains or ashes without assuming guaranteed acceptance. A programme’s return arrangements must not be borrowed from another institution’s brochure.
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What personal written consent and identity documents are needed?
France: R1261-1 provides personal handwritten, dated and signed consent after information. Switzerland: use the selected institution’s actual form and identity requirements; neither a relative’s signature nor a generic will establishes enrolment automatically.
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Which institution and programme receive the application?
France: identify the authorised receiving establishment and exact programme. Switzerland: identify the chosen institute and programme version separately; Geneva and Bern documents must not be merged into one national donation scheme.
Université de Berne : don du corpsCode de la santé publique : don du corps : R1261-1, R1261-1-reference, R1261-1-restitution, R1261-10Donation of body to scienceUniversity of Geneva body-donation programme brochureSwiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 370
What personal written consent and identity documents are needed?
France: R1261-1 provides personal handwritten, dated and signed consent after information. Switzerland: use the selected institution’s actual form and identity requirements; neither a relative’s signature nor a generic will establishes enrolment automatically.
Université de Berne : don du corpsCode de la santé publique : don du corps : R1261-1, R1261-1-reference, R1261-1-restitution, R1261-10Donation of body to scienceUniversity of Geneva body-donation programme brochureSwiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 370
How is consent withdrawn and confirmation obtained?
France: retain withdrawal request and the receiving institution’s confirmation. Switzerland: Geneva’s brochure describes its own cancellation contacts and written confirmation; use the chosen institute’s process rather than assuming the same contact route everywhere.
Université de Berne : don du corpsCode de la santé publique : don du corps : R1261-1, R1261-1-reference, R1261-1-restitution, R1261-10Donation of body to scienceUniversity of Geneva body-donation programme brochureSwiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 370
Programme-specific consent and return-choice comparison
Synthetic example: fictional records. Programme-specific consent and return-choice comparison.
Synthetic example: fictional records · Programme-specific consent and return-choice comparison
- Jurisdiction
- France
- Institution and programme
- Institution I1, version P1
- Consent and identity
- Form C1, documents D1
- Contact and withdrawal
- Person R1, method W1
- Acceptance and return
- Conditions A1, wishes S1
A programme’s return arrangements must not be borrowed from another institution’s brochure.
What role does the named contact have under this programme?
France: a reference person is a programme contact, not a substitute donor. Switzerland: document the institution’s designated contact and family role; neither country’s preparation record gives a relative a general power to provide personal consent.
Université de Berne : don du corpsCode de la santé publique : don du corps : R1261-1, R1261-1-reference, R1261-1-restitution, R1261-10Donation of body to scienceUniversity of Geneva body-donation programme brochureSwiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 370
Preparation reference: Programme-specific consent and return-choice comparison
| Preparation question | Point to verify |
|---|---|
| Which institution and programme receive the application? | France: identify the authorised receiving establishment and exact programme. Switzerland: identify the chosen institute and programme version separately; Geneva and Bern documents must not be merged into one national donation scheme. |
| What personal written consent and identity documents are needed? | France: R1261-1 provides personal handwritten, dated and signed consent after information. Switzerland: use the selected institution’s actual form and identity requirements; neither a relative’s signature nor a generic will establishes enrolment automatically. |
| How is consent withdrawn and confirmation obtained? | France: retain withdrawal request and the receiving institution’s confirmation. Switzerland: Geneva’s brochure describes its own cancellation contacts and written confirmation; use the chosen institute’s process rather than assuming the same contact route everywhere. |
| What role does the named contact have under this programme? | France: a reference person is a programme contact, not a substitute donor. Switzerland: document the institution’s designated contact and family role; neither country’s preparation record gives a relative a general power to provide personal consent. |
Université de Berne : don du corpsCode de la santé publique : don du corps : R1261-1, R1261-1-reference, R1261-1-restitution, R1261-10Donation of body to scienceUniversity of Geneva body-donation programme brochureSwiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 370
Which acceptance, geographical and transport limits apply?
France: check the actual programme’s admission, territory, transport and refusal conditions. Switzerland: Geneva’s residence and acceptance limits are institution-specific; signed consent does not guarantee acceptance by Geneva, Bern or another institute.
Université de Berne : don du corpsCode de la santé publique : don du corps : R1261-1, R1261-1-reference, R1261-1-restitution, R1261-10Donation of body to scienceUniversity of Geneva body-donation programme brochureSwiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 370
What information explains scientific use and retention of remains?
France: retain the information and options actually accepted for scientific use and preservation. Switzerland: Geneva describes separate choices for prolonged preservation and exchanges; do not assume those options are identical in Bern’s documents.
Université de Berne : don du corpsCode de la santé publique : don du corps : R1261-1, R1261-1-reference, R1261-1-restitution, R1261-10Donation of body to scienceUniversity of Geneva body-donation programme brochureSwiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 370
Which official provision helps explain this situation?
A body-donation dossier belongs to the identified receiving institution and programme, separately from organ donation or medical advance directives. France’s consent framework differs from Swiss institution-specific arrangements. Preserve the information supplied, signed personal choices, identity documents and contact role. Examine withdrawal, acceptance limits and provisions for remains or ashes without assuming guaranteed acceptance. A programme’s return arrangements must not be borrowed from another institution’s brochure.
Which return, ashes and funeral provisions are actually agreed?
France: connect return and funeral provisions under R1261-10 to documented wishes. Switzerland: Bern’s common-memorial arrangement and Geneva’s possible family ashes return differ; no single final-destination promise applies to all programmes.
Université de Berne : don du corpsCode de la santé publique : don du corps : R1261-1, R1261-1-reference, R1261-1-restitution, R1261-10Donation of body to scienceUniversity of Geneva body-donation programme brochureSwiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 370
Why do living research consent and medical directives not complete enrolment?
France: living research participation and medical directives do not establish body-donation enrolment. Switzerland: ZGB Article 370 concerns medical decisions during incapacity; it does not replace the selected institute’s personal donation and acceptance documents.
Université de Berne : don du corpsCode de la santé publique : don du corps : R1261-1, R1261-1-reference, R1261-1-restitution, R1261-10Donation of body to scienceUniversity of Geneva body-donation programme brochureSwiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 370
What other questions arise in this file?
What personal written consent and identity documents are needed?
France: R1261-1 provides personal handwritten, dated and signed consent after information. Switzerland: use the selected institution’s actual form and identity requirements; neither a relative’s signature nor a generic will establishes enrolment automatically.
Université de Berne : don du corpsCode de la santé publique : don du corps : R1261-1, R1261-1-reference, R1261-1-restitution, R1261-10Donation of body to scienceUniversity of Geneva body-donation programme brochureSwiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 370
What role does the named contact have under this programme?
France: a reference person is a programme contact, not a substitute donor. Switzerland: document the institution’s designated contact and family role; neither country’s preparation record gives a relative a general power to provide personal consent.
Université de Berne : don du corpsCode de la santé publique : don du corps : R1261-1, R1261-1-reference, R1261-1-restitution, R1261-10Donation of body to scienceUniversity of Geneva body-donation programme brochureSwiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 370
What information explains scientific use and retention of remains?
France: retain the information and options actually accepted for scientific use and preservation. Switzerland: Geneva describes separate choices for prolonged preservation and exchanges; do not assume those options are identical in Bern’s documents.
Université de Berne : don du corpsCode de la santé publique : don du corps : R1261-1, R1261-1-reference, R1261-1-restitution, R1261-10Donation of body to scienceUniversity of Geneva body-donation programme brochureSwiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 370
Why do living research consent and medical directives not complete enrolment?
France: living research participation and medical directives do not establish body-donation enrolment. Switzerland: ZGB Article 370 concerns medical decisions during incapacity; it does not replace the selected institute’s personal donation and acceptance documents.
Université de Berne : don du corpsCode de la santé publique : don du corps : R1261-1, R1261-1-reference, R1261-1-restitution, R1261-10Donation of body to scienceUniversity of Geneva body-donation programme brochureSwiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 370
Which official references should you consult?
- Université de Berne : don du corpswww.anatomie.unibe.ch
- Code de la santé publique : don du corps : R1261-1, R1261-1-reference, R1261-1-restitution, R1261-10www.legifrance.gouv.fr
- Donation of body to sciencewww.service-public.gouv.fr
- University of Geneva body-donation programme brochurewww.unige.ch
- Swiss Civil Code / ZGB / CC : 370www.fedlex.admin.ch
Texts cited last checked: 3 November 2026