Definitions for "Organ donation"
To give an organ or a part of an organ to be transplanted into another person. Organ donation can occur with a deceased donor, who can give kidneys, pancreas, liver, lungs, heart, intestinal organs, and with a live donor, who can give a kidney, or a portion of the liver, lung, or intestine.
Because organ donation most often happens once a patient is brain dead, the permission to use living organs must be given in advance by the patient and consent must be obtained by the deceased patient's family. Organ donation thus involves the establishment of clear standards for determining brain death, and concerns the issues of consent, advance directives, and family autonomy. [See Case Studies related to Organ Donation
The giving of one's organs, tissue or eyes to an organization that in turn provides the organs to individuals who need a transplant.