What is Organ Donation?
What is organ donation?
- - Organ donation are divided into two categories: living donation and cadaveric donation.
- - Living donation occurs when a healthy person donates an organ (usually kidney) or part of an organ (usually liver) to another person.
- - Cadaveric donation occurs when a person donates his or her organs after the diagnosis of death.
- - Donated organs are transplanted into patients in need and can save or improve lives.
Why donate organs?
- - Organ donation allows the deceased to leave a living legacy. It is also often considered as the “greatest gift one can make”.
- - Organ donation is an act of altruism and can save or improve lives of others. When an individual’s actions are focused mainly on the beneficial impact to others, without regard to the consequences to the individual, the actions are regarded as “altruistic”. Saving a life is regarded as one of greatest good man can achieve.
- - Some experts and philosophers believe that everyone should want to donate organs as it is for the good of the society. In fact, some believe that it is immoral for an individual to decline consent for donation of his or her organs, especially when they no longer have use for them.
- - Major religions encourage altruistic acts, and specifically include organ donation.
Additional resources on organ donation
Does my religion encourage or even allow organ donation?
- Yes. All major religions in Singapore approve of organ donation. Some resources include:
What is the law of the land?
In Singapore, the Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA) is based on “implicit consent”, that is to say: consent without some specific move denoting consent, and inaction is itself a sign of consent. In simpler terms, everyone who qualifies is a potential organ donor if they are diagnosed with brain death and have not previously registered their objection officially.
HOTA covers all Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents 21 years old and above, who are not mentally disordered and to come into effect when the diagnosis of brain death is made. The criteria of brain death is stringent and internationally recognized to protect the interest of the patient.The only organs covered under this Act are the kidneys, liver, heart and corneas.
Actual HOTA document: Human Organ Transplant Act (CHAPTER 131A)
The Medical (Therapy, Education and Research) Act (MTERA) is based on based on “explicit consent”, that is to say an opt-in scheme, where people pledge to donate their organs and tissues (e.g. kidney, liver, heart, cornea, lung, bone, skin, heart valves, etc) for the purposes of transplantation, education or research after they pass away.
Anyone 18 years old and above, and are not mentally disordered can pledge to donate all his or her organs or specify which to donate. In cases where a person had not pledged his/her organs under MTERA before passing away, the family members donate the organs on their behalf under MTERA if they wish to do so.
Actual MTERA document: Medical (Therapy, Education and Research) Act (CHAPTER 175)