Information About Organ Donation

Organ donation involves the removal of tissues from a human body that is either alive or has just recently died, and the transplanting of that organ into the body of a person who needs it to survive.

Types

• Organs that can be donated are lungs, hearts, kidneys, intestines, pancreases and livers.

Donors

• Doctors examine your organs to determine if they're fit for donation.

  People of all ages are eligible organ and tissue donors, though if you are under 18, permission of a parent or guardian is required. People with cancer, HIV/AIDS or systemic infections are not eligible donors. Doctors examine your organs to determine if they're fit for donation before any donation actually occurs.

Benefits

• Organ donors can save lives.

  Organ donation is beneficial for several reasons. For the organ receiver, an organ donation can mean a second chance at life. For the family of an organ donor who has recently died, an organ of a dead loved one saving another life can be consoling.

Misconceptions

• Skin can be donated but is considered a body tissue, not an organ.

  Organ donation is not the same as tissue donation. Tissues that can be donated are bones and bone marrow, corneas, veins, skin, heart valves and tendons.

Cost

• As an example, an average liver transplant costs about $393,000 (as of 2010). Though expensive, transplants can be less expensive in the long run than continuing medical care for a problematic or deficient organ. This is often found to be true for kidney transplants.