The University of Hawaii’s John A. Burns School of Medicine has more bodies than currently needed for surgical training, medical education and research — leading the institution to put a halt to to its Willed Body Program for body donations, beginning July 10.

The oversupply arose because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a near-complete halt in travel to Hawaii. That cut off a previous flow of about 1,000 doctors a year from across Asia and the Pacific who sought continuing medical education, including surgical training with donated bodies. Reviving this travel for training would be the best outcome.