The answer is yes—organ donation is safe, highly regulated, and does not affect the lifesaving medical care a patient receives. A person’s decision to become an organ donor does not change how doctors treat them or when death is declared.
But, in today’s world, misinformation spreads like wildfire across social media, and the topic of organ donation has not come out unscathed. Sensationalized headlines have fueled misconceptions about organ donation and driven an increase in registry removals nationwide, jeopardizing the lives of the thousands of people on the transplant waiting list who depend on the generosity of donors for a second chance at life.
You may have seen posts or heard stories claiming that doctors won’t work as hard to save you if you’re a registered organ donor. Or perhaps you’ve wondered who actually determines when someone has died or when organs can be recovered.
When it comes to the legal decision to donate your organs and tissues to another after your death, these are important questions and you deserve answers. At HonorBridge, we want everyone to make an informed decision based on facts, not fear.
Here are some answers to some of the most common questions about the safety of organ donation to put your mind at ease.
Will doctors try as hard to save me if I’m a registered organ donor?
Absolutely. The decision to donate is completely separate from the effort to save a patient’s life.
Your decision to become a donor does NOT change the medical care you receive. A patient can only be considered for organ and tissue donation after all lifesaving efforts have been exhausted and multiple clinical tests – conducted by the patient’s medical team – have verified death.
Who declares death?
The hospital medical team declares death, not Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) like HonorBridge. This separation is an important safeguard in the organ donation process.
How does organ donation happen after death?
There are two pathways to deceased organ donation: 1) donation after brain death, and 2) donation after circulatory determination of death, or DCD.
What is donation after brain death?
With donation after brain death, hospital doctors perform a series of tests to determine whether the patient has permanently lost all brain and brain stem function. If the patient meets the established medical and legal criteria for brain death, the hospital team declares the patient dead. Although a ventilator may continue to keep the heart beating and support the body temporarily, the patient is legally dead once brain death has been declared.
What is donation after circulatory determination of death, or DCD?
With DCD, a decision to withdraw life-sustaining treatment is made by the family and hospital team (not by HonorBridge). If the patient’s heart and breathing stop permanently–and this continues for a short, required period–the hospital team will officially declare death. Only after death has been declared can organ recovery begin.
Can my organs be taken before I die?
No. Organs are never recovered for transplantation until after death has been declared by the hospital medical team.
Although some steps involved in evaluating a potential donor may take place before death is declared, such as reviewing the patient’s medical history and speaking with the family, organ recovery cannot begin until after death has been officially declared.
Hospitals are required to contact their local OPO when a patient is on a ventilator, meets certain medical criteria, and may be an eligible organ donor. This allows the OPO to begin evaluating whether donation may be possible and coordinating the donation process with the hospital and transplant teams.
These preparations are especially important in donation after circulatory determination of death (DCD), because organ recovery must begin promptly after death is declared to preserve organ function.
Will You Take My Organs If I’m Not a Registered Donor?
In North Carolina, organ donation is based on your legally authorized decision. If you have not signed up as a donor, your next of kin may be asked to make the donation decision on your behalf after your death. This is why it is very important to communicate your decision to your family prior to your death.
For children under 18, a parent or legal guardian makes the donation decision. A child’s donor registration does not override a parent or guardian’s authority to make that decision.
If you have signed up to be a donor, your decision is legally binding for adults in North Carolina. This means you have already made the decision to donate, and your family does not have to make that decision for you.
What Else Should I Know About Organ Donation?
Organ donation and transplant is an intensely regulated field of medicine and maintaining high standards of safety and accountability are top priorities at HonorBridge. We work around the clock to honor donors and their families with the utmost integrity, respect, and compassion.
If you have questions about donation, ask a trusted medical provider. If you’ve heard something that doesn’t sound right, check the facts.
For the thousands of people waiting for a transplant, a donor’s decision can mean more time with their children, more birthdays with their families, and more opportunities to live the lives they were waiting for.
We hope this article helps you feel informed and confident in making your decision.
75 or more lives can be saved and healed by one organ, eye, and tissue donor. Learn more about organ, eye and tissue donation and make your decision at HonorBridge.org.