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Myths
If doctors know I want to be a donor they won't try and save
my life.
There is no conflict between
saving lives and using organs for transplantation. Medical professionals are
required by law and by their medical oath to do everything they can to save your
life. The doctors who work to save your life are not the same doctors
involved with the organ and tissue recovery. Only after every attempt has been
made to save your life will donation be considered.
Donation will be costly to my family.
There is no cost to the donor's family for organ
and tissue donation. Hospital expenses incurred before the donation of
organs in attempts to save the donor's life and funeral expenses remain the
responsibility of the person's family. Costs related to organ and tissue
recovery are paid for by the organ procurement organization.
My religion doesn't allow organ and tissue donation.
All major religions throughout the world support organ
and tissue donation as a humanitarian act of giving. Transplantation is
consistent with the life-preserving traditions of these faiths. If you have any
questions, use this link or discuss organ donation
with your religious or spiritual leader.
I can't be a donor because I want an open casket funeral.
The donor's body is treated with respect and dignity.
Like any surgery, the recovery of organs and tissues is conducted under sterile
conditions in an operating room by qualified surgeons. The process neither
disfigures the body, nor changes the way it looks in a casket. No one, except
the family members involved in the decision, will know about the donation.
No one will want my organs because of my medical history.
Besides,
I'm too old to be a donor.
At the time of death, donation
professionals will review your medical and social history to determine if you
are a candidate to donate. Anyone, regardless of age, can be considered for
organ donation. With recent advances in transplantation, more people than ever
before can donate.
They might take my organs before I am really dead.
The doctor providing treatment who declares death has
no role in the recovery of the organs and tissue. Before recovery is begun, the
patient must be declared dead.
Rich and famous people are moved to the top of the waiting
list and regular people have to wait even longer.
The organ allocation and distribution system is blind
to wealth and celebrity status, and while on the transplant waiting list, people
are identified by a patient number rather than their name. The length of time it takes to receive a transplant is
influenced by a variety of factors including location, severity of illness,
physical characteristics (blood type, weight, genetic typing, and size) and
length of time on the waiting list. Factors such as
race, gender, age, income or celebrity status are never considered when
determining who receives an organ.
People can steal organs and sell them on the black market.
There is no evidence of such activity ever occurring
in the United States or any other industrialized country. While this tale may
sound credible, it has no basis in the reality of organ transplantation.
According to the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act of 1984, it is illegal to buy or
sell human organs. Violators are subject to fines and imprisonment. In addition,
a national governing body reviews every organ donation and transplant. Strict
regulations prevent any type of "black market" existence in the United States.
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