Fact

Medical teams are required to save your life first.

Myth #3

Organ donation disfigures the body.

Fact

Donation is performed with respect and surgical precision. Open-casket funerals are still possible.

Myth #5

My religion doesn’t support organ donation.

Fact

All major U.S. religions support organ donation or leave it to personal choice, often viewing it as an act of compassion and generosity. (Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, and Protestantism)

Myth #7

LGBTQ+ individuals cannot be organ donors.

Fact

LGBTQ+ identity does not affect eligibility for organ donation. Screening is based on medical and behavioral health criteria—not identity.

Myth #2

I’m too old or too sick to be a donor.

Fact

There is no age limit. Many conditions do not prevent donation. Medical specialists decide what can be used at the time of death.

Myth #4

The rich and famous get priority for organs.

Fact

Organ allocation is controlled by strict federal rules based on medical urgency, match compatibility, and wait time, not wealth or status.

Myth #6

Organ trafficking is common in the U.S.

Fact

There has never been a verified case of organ trafficking from deceased donors in the U.S. The system is highly regulated and audited.

Myth #8

Being a donor costs money.

Fact

Organ and tissue donation is free. All medical expenses related to donation are covered by the transplant recipient’s insurance or by the organ procurement organization.