Blogging daily in April in recognition of National Donate Life Month. Please register as an organ donor and help to raise awareness about this lifesaving gift.

One of the many myths about organ transplantation is that wealthy individuals can purchase organs, either openly or via the black market. The sale of organs is illegal in the United States. Stories circulate on the internet about healthy people being maimed or killed for their organs. None of these stories has been substantiated. The United States uses a system that distributes organs in various regions. Although the distribution system is not perfect, it is fair. A wealthy person cannot skip to the head of the list just because they may have more resources available to them.

For more information, visit the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) and the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS).