Many organs and all tissues are donated by deceased donors -- most often a person who has been declared brain dead. A kidney, parts of some organs, and bone marrow can be transplanted from living individuals -- relatives or friends of the recipient or people who can choose to be anonymous donors. Yes, doctors always try everything possible to save a life.

Kidneys may be obtained from two types of donors. Recipients may first, receive a kidney from those who are living. About 25% of kidneys that are transplanted in the United States come from living donors. The kidney obtained from a blood related family member or a close friend might have a better outcome. Patients also do not have to be placed on a national wait list if an appropriate kidney from a family member is found.

an organ donor, you can donate parts of the body such as the kidneys, heart, liver, lungs, intestine and pancreas. As a tissue donor, you can donate corneas, skin, bone, bone marrow and heart valves.

A national allocation system ensures the fair distribution of organs in the United States. To learn more visit www.unos.org/policiesandbylaws2/policies/pdfs/policy_70.pdf. People eligible to receive organs are identified based upon many factors including blood type, length of time on waiting list, severity of illness, and other medical criteria. Race, gender, age, income, or celebrity status is not considered when determining who receives an organ transplant.

Buying and selling organs for the purpose of transplantation is illegal in the United States. Under the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act of 1984, human organs cannot be bought or sold, and violators are subject to fines and imprisonment. This strict regulation prevents any type of "black market" for organs in the United States.

Parotid gland duct swab for viral culture. (Massage the parotid salivary glands for 30 seconds prior to swabbing the buccal cavity, the space near the upper rear molars between the cheek and the teeth) (in M4 viral transport medium) For checking immunity for mumps, done at private reference labs. UHL is focusing on patient diagnostic testing:

People always ask us where we get the organs and other detailed questions. Our answer to these type of questions is that we have a non-disclosure policy due to the confidentiality of donors.

Recipients are chosen on the grounds of need, longest waiting time and by blood group and if necessary, by tissue characteristics. There is a waiting list for organ transplants because demand exceeds supply.

No. Both newborns and senior citizens have been donors. Physical condition, not a person's age, determines suitability to be a donor. Because of disease or other problems, some people wishing to donate may be ruled medically unsuitable. This determination is best made by transplant specialists at the time someone wishing to be a donor has died.

No. Organ donation is considered an act of charity by the donor and/or the donor's family, and buying or selling human organs is against Federal law. In many States, families are asked to provide consent for donation even if the deceased person had indicated an intention to be a donor.

A nonprofit organization under a contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services operates a computerized national waiting list of people who need a life-saving organ transplant.

You may specify the organs and tissues you wish to donate. Your wishes will be followed. However, if any of your organs are diseased or injured, those organs will not be donated.

The buying and selling of organs and tissues is illegal, as part of The National Organ Transplant Act (Public Law 98-507).

Organs are recovered in an sterile operating room using qualified surgical personnel and protocols. Tissues are often recovered in operating rooms but can also be recovered in sterile surgical facilities at medical examiners' offices or at some mortuaries. All donations are a precious gift and are treated with respect and dignity. Standard surgical sutures or staples are used to close the incisions - just as with any operation.

Generally, donated organs are matched with individuals on an organ waiting list. Matching is based on a variety of factors including blood and tissue types, medical need, length of time on the waiting list and weight of donor and recipient.

Kidneys, lungs, livers, hearts, pancreases, intestines, corneas, heart valves, bones, tendons and skin can all be recovered from deceased donors. If desired, a donor can specify which organs and tissues are to be donated. Living donors can donate a kidney, portion of a liver or portion of a lung.

Tissue: bone, connective tissue (ligaments and tendons), corneas (eyes), heart valves, skin and veins/vessels. To learn more, visit our Donorman. Your age and medical condition at the time of death may affect what you can donate. Typically, if death occurs as the result of severe head trauma, stoke or tumor that causes brain death, there is a good chance any organ or tissue may be donated.

The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) maintains the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). Through the UNOS Organ Center, organ donors are matched to waiting recipients 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Every organ donor can help save or improve the lives of many people. The organs which can be donated are the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, pancreas and bowel. Organs cannot be stored and must be transplanted as soon as possible.

Patients receive organs and tissue based upon blood type, length of time on the waiting list, severity of illness, and other medical criteria. Age, race, gender, income, or celebrity status is not considered when determining who receives an organ or tissue.

Over time, transplants have become more successful and more people have been added to the national waiting list. However, the numbers of donors has not grown as fast as the number of people that need organs and tissue. Every day, 17 people in the United States die waiting for organ transplants. Every 13 minutes another person's name is added to the list of thousands who await lifesaving organ transplants.

Persons waiting for transplants are listed by the transplant center where they plan to have surgery on a national computerized waiting list of potential transplants patients in the United States.

All organs and tissue donated to Science Care are used solely to advance medical research and training. Science Care requires all recipients of human tissue placed through our network to complete a stringent application and transfer agreement in accordance with Science Care's Tissue Use Policy, which must be approved before researcher requests are considered and filled. The organizations using donated tissue include universities, government agencies, corporate or private medical institutions.

AnswerOrgans: heart, kidneys, pancreas, lungs, liver, and intestines Tissue: cornea, skin, heart valves, bone, blood vessels, and connective tissue Bone marrow/stem cells, umbilical cord blood.

AnswerPatients are matched to organs based on a number of factors including blood and tissue typing, medical need, time on the waiting list, and geographical location. AnswerNo! The medical team trying to save your life is separate from the transplant team. Every effort is made to save your life before donation is considered. AnswerWithin the United States, living donations of a kidney can be made to a family member, friend, or anyone on the waiting list.

The most commonly transplanted organs are the kidneys, liver, heart, lungs. In recent years, success has been achieved in curing diabetes with a pancreas transplant or utilizing cells extracted from the pancreas (islet cells) that produce insulin. Although only a small number of intestinal transplants have been performed, this treatment holds great hope for patients whose intestines have been severely damaged through illness, trauma or birth defects.