All adults in the United States (U.S.) — and in some states, people under age 18 —
can sign up to be an organ donor
. Doctors decide at the time of death if someone is a good fit. Often, a parent or guardian needs to give permission to allow someone under age 18 to donate.
At what age can you donate your organs?
There is no age limit for organ donation as long as the organs are healthy
; however, you have to be younger than 81 years old to donate your tissues. Many diseases do not exclude you from organ and tissue donation.
Can young people donate organs?
In California,
donors as young as 15 may give an organ with the consent of a parent or guardian
(17). At least 60 living people under the age of 18 donated a kidney in the United States between 1987 and 2000 (18).
Can you donate your organs at 14?
You
can donate at any age
. The health of your organs is more important than your age.
Can you be too young to be an organ donor?
While the general age of consent to living organ donation is 18 years in most American states, exceptions allow minors to donate (16). In California,
donors as young as 15 may give an organ with the consent of a parent or guardian
(17).
Can I donate my heart while still alive?
You can donate some organs and tissues while you're alive
. Most living donations happen between family members or close friends. Other people choose to donate to someone they don't know.
What body parts Cannot be donated?
Certain conditions, such as having HIV,
actively spreading cancer
, or severe infection would exclude organ donation. Having a serious condition like cancer, HIV, diabetes, kidney disease, or heart disease can prevent you from donating as a living donor.
What is the most donated organ?
In the United States, the most commonly transplanted organs
Can a child donate an organ to a parent?
In California,
donors as young as 15 may give an organ with the consent of a parent or guardian
(17). At least 60 living people under the age of 18 donated a kidney in the United States between 1987 and 2000 (18).
Do organ donors get paid?
Paying donors actually pays off
, new study finds. Paying living kidney donors $10,000 to give up their organs would save money over the current system based solely on altruism — even if it only boosts donations by a conservative 5 percent. … We don't have enough organ donors coming forward,” said Dr.
What organ is most needed?
The two organs that are needed most frequently are
kidneys and livers
. About 83 percent of the people on the national transplant waiting list are waiting for kidney transplants and about 12 percent are waiting for liver transplants according to the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
What body parts can I donate while alive?
As a living donor, you may be able to donate: one
of your kidneys
, one liver lobe, a lung or part of the lung, part of the pancreas, or part of the intestines.
Why you shouldn't be an organ donor?
During a study by the National Institutes of Health, those opposed to organ donation cited reasons such as
mistrust of the system and worrying that their organs would go to someone not deserving of them
(e.g., a “bad” person or someone whose poor lifestyle choices caused their illness).
Can I sell my pee for money?
Urine sales
can be pretty lucrative
. Kenneth Curtis, profiled on Wired.com, has sold more than 100,000 “urine test substitution kits,” each containing 5.5 ounces of his own urine. … According to Wired.com a few states have made selling urine illegal.
Can I donate my organs while still alive?
You may donate an organ/tissue such as a
kidney or part of the liver
to a person who needs it while you are alive.
Can eyes be donated after death?
Donors are universal
. Age, eye color, and the quality of your eyesight don't matter. Doctors can remove and store corneas several hours after death. They can do the corneal transplant three to five days after donation.
