A Body Worlds exhibition that opened in Sydney displays real human bodies preserved through plastination, including some posed in sexual positions, prompting an ethics debate over whether donors genuinely understood how their remains would be presented. UNSW anatomy lecturer Dr Joyce El-Haddad has questioned whether the donation consent process was sufficiently specific and detailed, arguing that "informed consent is not a tick box exercise" and that signing a form does not eliminate the need for respect, dignity and transparency regarding how bodies are displayed.

The exhibition's body donation programme was founded in 1982 and has registered more than 21,000 donors globally, managed by Germany's Institute for Plastination since 1993. The consent forms allow donors' bodies to be used as "anatomical works of art" for commercial organisations and permit indefinite use of photographs for educational purposes, though donors can request specific poses without guarantee of fulfilment. Dr El-Haddad further argues that the educational value is compromised without context about donors' lived experiences, challenging whether simply viewing diseased organs or provocative poses teaches visitors about health, disease, addiction, socioeconomic factors or healthcare access.