Hawzah News Agency – I am a medical student and am forced at times to touch cadavers while performing dissection without knowing whether the cadavers belong to Muslims or not, or have been given ghusl or not, though the officials say that these bodies have definitely been given ghusl. With attention to what has been said, please explain our duty with respect to prayers and other religious acts after touching these bodies. With reference to what has been said, is ghusl obligatory for us?

Answer: If it is not ascertained that the cadavers have been given ghusl and you have doubts in this regard, the ghusl of touching a corpse is obligatory for you when touching such a cadaver or a part of it and prayers offered without performing this ghusl are invalid. But, if it is assured that the cadaver has been given ghusl, it is not obligatory to perform ghusl upon touching it, even if there is a doubt about the validity of its ghusl.

Source: https://www.leader.ir/en/book/32/Practical-Laws-of-Islam