SG-based
What is the minimum age to donate blood in Singapore?
The minimum age to donate blood in Singapore is 16 years old. Donors aged 16 and 17 must obtain signed parental or guardian consent.
How many lives can one donor save?
One donor can save up to 8 lives, and improve dozens more through tissue donation (like corneas, skin, and bone).
What is Organ Donation/ Organ Transplant?
Organ donation/ transplant is the process of surgically removing an organ or tissue from one person (the donor) and placing it into another person (the recipient) to treat or save a life.
One must be very fit in order to donate organs.
True or False?
FALSE.
Name ONE eligibility criteria to be a living organ donor in SG.
You may be eligible to donate your liver if you:
If you are a blood donor, you cannot donate your organs.
True or False?
FALSE.
Blood donation and organ donation are completely separate—you can do both.
Identify ONE organ that you can donate while you are still alive.
Any ONE:
- Kidney (one of two is donated)
- Liver (a portion—up to 70%—can be donated because the liver regenerates and regrows to nearly its original size)
OTHERS:
The elderly are not eligible to be organ donors.
True or False?
FALSE!
Even people in their 80s or 90s can be organ donors, depending on health.
As of March 2026, the oldest organ donor in U.S. history is 100-year-old World War II veteran Dale Steele from Nebraska. He donated his liver.
The most popular organ transplant in Singapore is the cornea.
True or False?
TRUE!
In 2025, there were 573 organ transplants in Singapore. In contrast, there was only 1 lung transplant in 2025.
Patients will die if they do not have a heart.
True or False?
FALSE.
Artificial organs (like mechanical hearts) can temporarily support patients while they wait. A man in the U.S. lived more than a year with an artificial heart while waiting for a transplant.
What is the duration within which a heart must be transplanted into the recipient, after it has been removed from the donor?
A donated heart must be transplanted into a recipient within four to six hours after it has been removed from the donor to remain viable.
A person who is declared brain dead cannot donate any organs.
True or False?
FALSE!
A person declared brain dead can still have functioning organs maintained artificially, making donation possible
The Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA) automatically includes citizens and permanent residents aged 18 and older as organ donors (kidneys, liver, heart, corneas), unless they opt out.
True or False?
FALSE!
The Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA) automatically includes citizens and permanent residents aged 21 (not 18) and older as organ donors (kidneys, liver, heart, corneas), unless they opt out.
Which country has the highest organ donation rate?
Spain has the highest donation rate globally, largely due to trained hospital coordinators who proactively identify donors.
Which organ was first successfully transplanted?
The first successful human organ transplant was a kidney transplant in 1954, performed by Joseph Murray, who later won the Nobel Prize.
One can be a donor even if one has tattoos or piercings.
True or False?
TRUE.
Having tattoos or piercings does not automatically disqualify one. Doctors may assess timing and infection risk, but many people with them still donate.
What is the average waiting time of patients who received kidney transplants from a deceased donor (2025)?
~8.5 years, or 103.1 months
Name ONE country in which donors are paid for donating an organ.
Iran is the only country in the world where paid, regulated organ donation (specifically kidneys) is legal. Established in 1988, this government-sanctioned, non-profit system matches donors to recipients, with donors receiving payment and compensation.
How is a donor's organ matched with the recipient?
State ONE criteria.
Organs are matched based on:
i) blood type,
ii) size,
iii) urgency, and
iv) genetic markers—not appearance i.e. eye and hair colour do not need to match
The organ donors will be paid different amounts, depending on the type of organ(s) donated.
True or False?
FALSE.
Organ donation is considered a free, altruistic gift and not a commercial transaction.
Buying or selling organs is illegal in most countries, including Singapore.