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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

All costs associated with organ recovery are assumed by the recovery organizations. These costs are then reimbursed by transplant centers (who in turn bill private and public insurance plans) and, in the case of kidney transplants.

AnswerPatients are matched to organs based on a number of factors including blood and tissue typing, medical urgency, time on the waiting list, and geographical location.

Donated organs go to patients based on match with donor’s height, weight and blood type; medical urgency and time on the waiting list. A person’s age, gender, race, ethnic origin or wealth do not affect who receives available organs.

Organs: heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas. Tissue: heart valves, bone tissue, skin tissue, eye tissue, pancreas tissue.

NO. Donation costs nothing to the donor’s family or estate. Organ and tissue donation is a gift. The family of a donor does not pay any hospital or physician fees associated with the organ and tissue donation.

There are currently more than 19,000 California residents and more than 92,000 people in the U.S. waiting for organ transplants. Each year, approximately 6,000 people die waiting for an organ transplant that would have given them a second chance at life with their families. In addition, each year hundreds of thousands of people benefit from donated tissue that is used for life-saving and reconstructive purposes.

Every person waiting for an organ transplant is registered with UNOS, the United Network for Organ Sharing. The organ procurement organization works with UNOS to fairly allocate organs based upon medical urgency, genetic matching and length of time waiting.

UNOS and the country's transplant centers have created a waiting list, which has each waiting recipient by weight, height and blood group. Priority depends on scientific and medical factors, including urgency of need, length of time on the waiting list, blood type and organ size compatibility. Factors such as race, gender, age, income or celebrity status are never considered when determining who receives an organ.

YES. But, each academic institution has its own guidelines about accepting body donations. Not all academic institutions will accept body donations after organ and tissue donation. If you are interested in body donation it is recommended that you check with the academic institutions you wish to support. They can answer specific questions about organ and tissue donation and pre-arrange the donation of your body for the advancement of science.

Organs are distributed based upon medical information like blood type, body size, and tissue type matching through a national computer network operated by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). It is illegal to distribute organs based on non-medical information such as wealth, citizenship, or celebrity status. Tissue is distributed based upon patient need, availability, and medical criteria.