What organs can be donated?
Will my loved one or I be treated differently in an emergency if he or she is a registered donor?
Why should I discuss my decision to be an organ donor with my family?
How do I know that my organs at my death will be transplanted into an individual in need and not used for research?
What is a living donor?
Who pays for the transplant and medical expenses of a living donor?
How does the transplant waiting list work?
What organization manages the national database?
Does the identity of the donor or recipient remain confidential?
Who pays for the donation?
How do I know if I am eligible to donate blood?
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What organs can be donated?
Many organs and tissues can be donated, including kidneys, liver, heart, intestines, lung and pancreas. Corneas, heart valves, bone marrow, blood, and skin can also be donated.
Will my loved one or I be treated differently in an emergency if he or she is a registered donor?
In any emergency, the first priority is to save the victim’s life. Stating that your loved one is an organ donor will not affect the patient’s treatment in the event of an emergency.
Why should I discuss my decision to be an organ donor with my family?
Even if you are a registered organ donor, most hospitals will seek permission from the legal next of kin. Discussing your decision to be an organ donor and informing your family of your decision will help ease their burden during the crisis. Each state has different laws regarding registration. Visit www.unos.org to learn about the laws in your state.
How do I know that my organs at my death will be transplanted into an individual in need and not used for research?
When you sign a donor card, you are stating that you want your organs, or specific organs, donated to an individual in need. A person who chooses to donate his or her body for research or scientific purposes usually registers directly with the organization or medical institution performing the research.
What is a living donor?
A living donor is a person who donates one of his kidneys, or a part of his liver, pancreas, intestine, or lung, to an individual who is a closely compatible through blood and tissue testing. In rare circumstances, some heart-lung recipients are living heart donors through what is called a domino transplant. When a patient receives a heart-lung "bloc" from a deceased donor, his or her healthy heart may be given to an individual waiting for a heart transplant. This procedure is used when physicians determine that the deceased donor lungs will function best if they are used in conjunction with the deceased donor heart.(1)
Who pays for the transplant and medical expenses of a living donor?
According to UNOS Patient Services, medical expenses associated with living donor evaluation are covered by the recipient’s insurance. Expenses that fall outside of the transplant center’s evaluation are not covered. These expenses may include annual physicals, travel, lodging, lost wages, and other non-medical expenses. The recipient may cover some costs. The transplant financial coordinator can assist with financial questions. The National Living Donor Assistance Center www.livingdonorassistance.org, a subsidiary of UNOS, may also be able to help.
How does the transplant waiting list work?
Individual hospitals list patients in need of transplants on their respective lists, which are then registered with UNOS Organ Center. A centralized computer network links all organ procurement organizations (OPOs) and transplant centers. When an organ becomes available, the computer database ranks the prospective donors objectively by blood type, tissue type, size of the organ, medical urgency of the patient, time on the waiting list, and distance between donor and recipient. Each organ has its own specific criteria. Ethnicity, gender, religion, and financial status are not part of the computer matching system. The transplant surgeon who placed the patient on the waiting list is then notified. The OPO coordinates the organ recovery process with the surgical teams and provides follow-up information to the donor family and involved hospital staff regarding the outcome of the donations.
What organization manages the national database?
The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) governs the procedural aspects of policy development, allocation of donated organs, and the collection of transplant data nationwide. The public is included in the process through solicitation of feedback via the public comment process. UNOS, the United Network for Organ Sharing, holds the federal contract to operate OPTN, which was created by Congress following the passage of the National Organ Transplant Act (NOTA) of 1984. Visit www.optn.org for more information.
Does the identity of the donor or recipient remain confidential?
Yes. Transplant centers and OPOs are required by law to protect the confidentiality of donors and recipients. However, they can arrange for contact between the families when both sides agree. The process usually begins with a letter from the recipient to the donor family sent through the transplant center.
Who pays for the donation?
From the moment of consent for donation to the release of the donor's body to the morgue, all costs associated with the organ donation process are billed directly to the organ procurement organization.
How do I know if I am eligible to donate blood?
Generally speaking, a blood donor must be at least 17 years old or 16 years old if allowed by state law. You must weigh at least 110 pounds, and not have donated whole blood in the last 8 weeks (56 days) or double red cells in the last 16 weeks (112 days). According to the American Red Cross, specially trained technicians are available at each blood collection center and details of each donor's health and activities are discussed in a confidential setting prior to blood donation.
References: (1) http://www.optn.org/about/donation/livingDonation.asp. Accessed on January 31, 2009 |
