Facts About Registering to Become an Organ Donor—And Why What You’ve Heard Might Be Wrong

Organ donation, the act of taking healthy organs from one person and giving them to someone else, has the power to save and improve lives, yet misinformation can create hesitation in signing up to become a donor. Organ donation is a well-regulated, life-giving process that benefits people in need. And the amount of good a single donor can do is staggering: One organ donor can help up to eight people, and one organ, eye, and tissue donor can help as many as 75. From fears about medical care to questions about religion and donation, below, find seven myths—and the facts—about organ donation.

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Myth: People donate organs all the time. There’s a large enough donor pool without me.

Fact: According to Donate Life America, an organization that educates people on the decision to become an organ donor, there are more than 100,000 Americans waiting for a lifesaving organ—more than the number of deceased organ donors who are potential matches. Every eight minutes, another person is added to the waiting list. Even though medical advances have improved wait times for organ transplantation, the country needs more registered organ donors.

Myth: If I’m in a bad accident or need urgent medical attention and EMS workers or doctors see that I’m an organ donor, they won’t try to save my life.

Fact: Health care workers will always do their best to deliver lifesaving care. If you’re in a life-threatening accident or other medical emergency, EMS will be focused on helping you—not on checking your driver's license to see if you’re an organ donor. The same can be said of physicians, who take the Hippocratic Oath and vow to act in the best interest of the patient: you. The medical team trying to save your life is completely separate from the organ transplant team. The transplant team is not involved in your care until the time of organ donation.

Myth: I’m not healthy enough to donate. 

Fact: There are very few diseases or conditions that would exclude you from being an organ donor, and you can sign up to be an organ donor and let the doctors evaluate your organs at your time of death. Before they’re transplanted, every organ goes through testing to ensure it’s healthy.

Myth: I’m too old to be a donor.  

Fact: There is no maximum age limit to register or donate organs, and thanks to advances in medicine, generous donors of all ages can help people in need of a lifesaving transplant. According to the National Institute on Aging, in 2021, 1 out of every 3 people who donated organs was over the age of 50.

If you’re older, think of your organs in terms of reliability. They’ve gotten you this far with no problems—they could probably help someone else, too.

Myth: Organ donors can’t have an open-casket viewing.  

Fact: If you choose to become an organ donor, your body will be treated with respect, and your incision will be hidden under your clothes.

Register to become an organ donor

Myth: My family will have to pay for my organ donation.

Fact: The patient who receives your organ will pay for the donor evaluation and surgical procedure to remove organs. There is no expense to the donor or family for organ and tissue donation.

Myth: My religion doesn’t support organ donation.

Fact: Major religions not only permit organ donation but they also support it because it’s viewed as an act of generosity and love. These include Christian religions, including Catholicism, along with Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. You can read more about religious views and organ donation on the National Kidney Foundation’s website.

Read more about the WashU Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Transplant Center.