What are the rules for organ donation?

Just about anyone, at any age, can become an organ donor. Anyone younger than age18 needs to have the consent of a parent or guardian. For organ donation after death, a medical assessment will be done to determine what organs can be donated.

Can next of kin override organ donation?

Signing up as an organ, eye and tissue donor means you have made the decision to donate your organs, eyes and tissues at the time of your death. Just like a will, this decision is legally binding and cannot be overridden by your family; which is why it’s so important to discuss donation with your loved ones.

Can murder victims be organ donors?

“There’s nothing inherent in a homicide that would make an individual not a donor. But in our experience, most homicide victims don’t get to the hospital, aren’t maintained or we’re not able to support their bodies while the family decides to proceed with organ donation.”

Who decides if your organs are donated?

The system offers each available organ to the transplant team of the best-matched patient. The transplant surgeon makes the final decision. They decide whether the organ is good for their patient. They may refuse the organ if their patient is too sick or they can’t reach them in time.

Can organs be donated without family consent?

All 50 states and the District of Columbia have adopted the 2006 Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (UAGA) or enacted similar legislation giving individuals the “First Person Authorization” (FPA) to consent to organ donation after death via a signed donor card or driver’s license, or by enrollment in a donor registry.

Can organs be donated after postmortem?

Once a patient is declared brain-dead, around 37 organs and tissues can be donated, including the heart, kidneys, liver, lungs and pancreas. However, when such a patient is kept for autopsy for hours, the heart finally fails, after which only the cornea, bone, skin and blood vessels can be reused.

Who decides organ donation?

The transplant surgeon makes the final decision. They decide whether the organ is good for their patient. They may refuse the organ if their patient is too sick or they can’t reach them in time. Most organs go to patients in the area where doctors recovered the organs.