Organ donation
In Hong Kong, there is always a shortage of donated organs for those in critical need. In some cases, organ transplant may be the only hope for the patients. The Department of Health (DOH) has established the Centralized Organ Donation Register (CODR) for prospective donors to voluntarily register their wish to donate organs after death. There is no charge for donating organs to save lives.
Organs may not be donated to anyone else whether in Hong Kong or overseas except through the DOH under section 4(7) of the Human Organ Transplant Ordinance.
How do I sign up for organ donation?
You can sign up for organ donation through the Centralised Organ Donation Registerwebsite or download the registration form from the same website and post or fax it to the CODR System Administrator under the Department of Health. Please click here to visit the website for organ donation registration.
Alternatively, potential donors may continue to use an organ donation card if they do not wish to register with the CODR. Potential donors using this method should tell their family about their wishes and always carry with them the completed Organ Donation Card.
At what age can I sign up to donate my organs?
There is no absolute age limit for organ donation. In general, organs may be donated from someone as young as a newborn to as old as 75. Depending on the body tissue in question, the age limit for donation is below 80 for a cornea and between 16 and 60 for long bones. There is no age limit for skin donation.
Which organs can I donate?
All organs can be potentially life-saving to a patient. Any organs donated will be medically examined before they are donated to determine their suitability, so donors do not need to be concerned about the state of their organs. Donors can also specify which organ(s) they would like to donate in the Centralised Organ Donation Register or on the donation card, and consent will be obtained from family members before they are removed. The body of the donor will be fully respected during any transplant process and the physical appearance of the deceased will not be affected.