The Facts About Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation

Very few medical conditions automatically disqualify you from donating organs. The decision to use an organ is based on strict medical criteria. It may turn out that certain organs are not suitable for transplantation, but other organs and tissues may be fine. Don't disqualify yourself prematurely. Only medical professionals at the time of your death can determine whether your organs are suitable for transplantation.

Organ and tissue donation doesn't interfere with having an open-casket funeral. The donor's body is clothed for burial, so there are no visible signs of organ or tissue donation. Through the entire donation process, the body is treated with care, dignity and respect.

The rich and famous aren't given priority when it comes to allocating organs. It may seem that way because of the amount of publicity generated when celebrities receive a transplant, but they are treated no differently from anyone else. When patients are on the waiting list for an organ transplant, their position on that list is based on the severity of their illness, time spent waiting, blood type and other important medical information. Social and financial status are never a factor in this process.