How does someone get on the waiting list for an organ transplant?
Primary care physicians refer patients to the appropriate transplant program. A team of specialists at the transplant center determines if the patient is a suitable candidate. Suitable candidates are added to the list. ORGAN DONATION PROCEDURE Are there rules in place to regulate the organ donation process? The National Transplant Act of 1984 ensures that the organ donation process is fair. The Act established the National Organ Procurement and Transplant Network (OPTN) for matching donor organs to waiting patients. The OPTN is managed by UNOS, which works with local organ banks across the country to place organs. How do physicians determine if someone is dead? Physicians declare brain death or cardiopulmonary death based on acceptable medical standards after thorough testing and examination. Brain death occurs when brain function has permanently stopped, although the lungs and heart can continue to function with the use of mechanical devices, such as a ventilator that keeps the heart
