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What is organ donation and transplantation?
Organs or tissues from one person (the donor) are put into
another person's body (the recipient). People of all ages
and backgrounds should consider themselves likely donors.
What is the status of organ donation
and transplantation in the United States?
The number of people needing a transplant continues to rise
faster than the number of donors. About 3,700 transplant
candidates are added to the national waiting list each month.
Each day, about 77 people receive organ transplants. However,
18 people die each day waiting for transplants that can't
take place because of the shortage of donated organs.
There are now more than 92,000 people on the waiting list.
Experts suggest that each of us could save or help as many
as 50 people by being an organ and tissue donor.
Who can be an organ donor?
There are no age limits on who can donate. Newborns as well
as senior citizens have been organ donors. If you are under
age 18, you must have a parent's or guardian's consent. If
you are 18 years or older, you can show you want to be an
organ and tissue donor by signing a donor card. You can download
and print an organ donor card at www.organdonor.gov/newdonorcard.pdf.
Carry the card in your wallet. In some states, you can state
your intent to be an organ donor on your driver's license.
Even if you sign a donor card and/or state your intent on
your driver’s license, make sure your family knows
your wishes. Your family may be asked to sign a consent form
in order for your donation to occur. You may also want to
tell your family health care provider, lawyer, and your religious
leader that you would like to be a donor.
What organs and tissues can I donate?
- Kidney
- Heart
- Liver
- Lung
- Pancreas
- Intestines
- Cornea
- Skin
- Bone
- Bone marrow
Does the donor's family have to
pay for the cost of organ donation?
No. The donor's family neither pays for, nor receives payment
for organ and tissue donation. The transplant recipient's
health insurance policy, Medicare, or Medicaid usually covers
the cost of transplant.
If I am a donor, will that affect
the quality of my medical care?
No. Many people think that if they agree to donate their
organs, the doctor or the emergency room staff won't work
as hard to save their life. This is not true.
The transplant team is completely separate from the medical
staff working to save your life. The transplant team does
not become involved with you until doctors have determined
that all possible efforts to save your life have failed.
Does organ donation disfigure your
body?
No. Donation does not change the appearance of the body.
Organs are removed surgically in a routine operation. It
does not interfere with having a funeral, including open
casket services.
Can I be an organ or tissue donor
and also donate my body to medical science?
No. Total body donation is an option, but not if you choose
to be an organ or tissue donor. If you wish to donate your
entire body, you should contact the facility of your choice
to make arrangements. Medical schools, research facilities,
and other agencies need to study bodies to gain greater understanding
of diseases in humans. This research is vital to saving and
improving lives.
Can non-resident aliens donate and
receive organs?
Non-resident aliens can both donate and receive organs in
the United States.
Why should minorities be concerned
about organ donation?
The need for transplants is high among minorities, particularly
African Americans.
- Some diseases of the kidney, heart, lung, pancreas, and
liver that can lead to organ failure are found more frequently
in minority women.
- The rate of organ donation from minority women does not
keep pace with the number needing transplants. Although
minority women donate, in part, to their share of the population,
their need for transplants is greater.
- Matching donor organs to likely recipients requires genetic
similarity. In most cases, people are more similar to people
of their own race than to people of other races.
- Minority women may have to wait longer for matched organs
and therefore may be sicker at the time of transplant or
die waiting. With more donated organs from this group,
finding a match will be quicker and the waiting time will
be cut, and more lives will be saved.
Who manages the distribution of
organs?
The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) maintains the
Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). Through
the UNOS Organ Center, organ donors are matched to waiting
recipients 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
To read the rest of this article from WomensHealth.gov,
please click here: http://womenshealth.gov/faq/organ_donation.htm
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