People of all ages and medical histories should consider themselves potential donors. Your medical condition at the time of death will determine what organs and tissues can be donated.
A national system matches available organs from the donor with people on the waiting list based on blood type, body size, how sick they are, donor distance, tissue type and time on the list. Sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, race, income, celebrity and social status are never considered.
The list of organs and tissues that can be successfully transplanted continues to grow. So does your ability to save and heal lives as a deceased organ, eye and tissue donor. One donor can save up to eight lives, restore sight to two people through cornea donation, and heal more than 75 lives through tissue donation. Here’s what can be donated:
Organs
Tissues
Living donation and VCA (hands and face) donation are not included in your deceased donor registration.
Deceased donation is the process of giving organs, corneas or tissues at the time of the donor’s death for the purpose of transplantation. Deceased donation can only occur after death has been declared by medical professionals on the hospital care team who are not part of the donation and transplant process.
It is important to know that the hospital care team does not know the patient’s donor status. The hospital contacts the local organ procurement organization (OPO), which evaluates the individual’s medical history and checks the donor registry. Donation professionals search the state donor registry and the National Donate Life Registry to see if your loved one documented their decision to be a donor.
If they are not listed in a registry, the next of kin or legally authorized representative is offered the opportunity to make a decision about donation.
If donation moves forward, national policies and guidelines are followed to carefully determine which organs are healthy enough for transplant, and to match them with patients on the national waiting list who need them most.
All major religions in the U.S. support donation as a final act of compassion and generosity. Visit this page for more in-depth information on religious views on organ, eye and tissue donation.
Race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender or gender expression, income, celebrity and social status are never part of the consideration when it comes to matching donor organs and tissues for transplantation. Visit this page for more in-depth information on race, ethnicity and organ, eye and tissue donation.
There is no cost to the donor’s family or estate for donation. The donor family pays only for medical expenses before death and costs associated with funeral arrangements.
Funeral arrangements of your choice are possible, including a viewing. Through the entire donation process the body is treated with care and respect. Following donation, funeral arrangements can continue as planned.
Your life always comes first. Doctors work hard to save every patient’s life, but sometimes there is a complete and permanent loss of brain function. The patient is declared clinically and legally dead. Only then is donation an option.
It is important to know that the hospital care team does not know the patient’s donor status. The hospital contacts the local organ procurement organization (OPO), which evaluates the individual’s medical history and checks the donor registry. If the person is registered, the OPO will inform and support the family. If not, the family will be asked if they would like to authorize donation. For all organ, eye and tissue donation, the donor is treated with care and respect, and the donor family is supported throughout the donation process.
A person’s sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression does not prevent them from becoming an organ donor (deceased or living). Everyone is encouraged to register their decision to be an organ donor at RegisterMe.org. Certain regulations mandated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may affect a person’s eligibility for eye and tissue donation. Find out more information on our LGBTQIA+ FAQ page.
Passed in 2015, the HIV Organ Policy Equity Act (HOPE) Act provides donation and transplantation opportunities for people living with HIV. As of December 2020, more than 430 lifesaving transplants have been made possible because of the HOPE Act and the generosity of donors and donor families.
No. A national system matches available organs from the donor with people on the waiting list based on blood type, body size, how sick they are, donor distance, tissue type and time on the list. Race, income, gender, celebrity and social status are never considered.
Although donation and transplantation can take place successfully between individuals from different racial or ethnic groups, transplant success is often better when organs are matched between people of the same racial or ethnic background.
People of African American/Black, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian/Alaska Native and multiracial descent currently make up nearly 58% of individuals on the national organ transplant waiting list. These communities are in great need of more organ and tissue donors.
Not all donated organs, eyes, and tissues are able to be used for transplant. Donated organs, eyes and tissues that are not recovered for transplant may be used for medical research and education if the donor (or family, if there is not a donor registration) authorizes it. Non-transplantable organs, eyes and tissues help save and heal lives by allowing researchers to find new ways to treat disease.
Living organ donation offers another choice for some transplant candidates, reducing their time on the waiting list and leading to better long term outcomes for the recipient. Living tissue donation, birth tissue, is used to promote healing and to treat burns and painful wounds. Learn more about living donation.