If any person, either in writing at any time or orally in the presence of two or more witnesses during his last illness, has expressed a request that his body or any specified part of his body be used after his death for therapeutic purposes or for purposes of medical education or research, the person lawfully in possession of his body after his death may, unless he has reason to believe that the request was subsequently withdrawn, authorize the removal from the body of any part or, as the case may be, the specified part, for use in accordance with the request.

Subject to section (3), the removal and use of any part of a body in accordance with an authority given in pursuance of this section shall be lawful.

No such removal shall be effected except by a person permitted by law to practise medicine, who must have satisfied himself by a personal examination of the body that life is extinct.

No authority shall be given under this Act in respect of any body by a person entrusted with the body for the purpose only of its interment or cremation.

In the case of a body lying in a hospital, nursing home or other institution, any authority under this Act may be given on behalf of the person having the control and management thereof by any officer or person designated for that purpose by the first-mentioned person.

Nothing in this Act shall be construed as rendering unlawful any dealing with, or with any part of, the body of a deceased person which is lawful apart from this Act.