Progress in transplantation has delivered life-changing outcomes, like more organs being transplanted today than a few years ago, yet the unmet need remains enormous. Organ donation sits at the intersection of science, ethics, and public trust. One of the most harmful beliefs is that doctors will not try as hard to save you if they know you are a registered donor. In reality, medical teams treating life-threatening injuries or illnesses have only one priority: saving the patient’s life.
Tavishi Dogra is a Deputy Chief Content Producer, Health & Wellness, at Hindustan Times. She knows fads from fundamentals and curates science-backed, expert-recommended solutions. In fitness, she breaks down bodyweight training, recovery, and posture fixes for desk-bound readers. In nutrition, she translates guidelines into affordable, desi meal tweaks. In mental well-being, she focuses on stigma-free, actionable tools — all backed by research, expert input, and lived context. Editorial Philosophy I write with one single goal: To simplify health in a world full of noise by finding what’s actually doable, safe, and evidence-based for my readers. I test claims against research and user experiences. Another common misconception is that age, chronic disease, or lifestyle automatically rules someone out. There is no universal age cut-off for being an organ donor . Suitability is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Many older adults and people with treated chronic conditions have successfully donated tissues or even organs after death. Similarly, living donation (commonly a kidney or part of the liver) is open to healthy adults who meet medical and psychological screening criteria; the guiding principle is whether the donation is safe. Anyone can register the intent to be an organ donor, and, in many systems, there is no strict upper age limit for deceased donation; suitability is evaluated at the time of death. For living donors, the medical standard is health and safety. A healthy adult can donate one kidney and still live a normal life; a portion of a healthy liver can also be given and regenerate for both donor and recipient. Specialist clinicians perform thorough medical and psychological assessments to protect donors. Each hospital and transplant center follows protocols to determine what can be used safely. ( Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.)
She has over 9 years of experience writing about fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, translating medical research and expert insights into practical advice readers can trust. Subject expertise With 9+ years tracking India’s health conversations, Tavishi knows the gap between clinical advice and daily life. When all else fails, I speak to the expert who sees 50 patients a day, not the one with the most followers.
“Trusted health organizations and transplant programs make this clear because mixing those roles would be unsafe and illegal,” Dr Vaibhaw Kumar, Director – LIVER TRANSPLANT & GI SURGERY, Paras Health Gurugram, tells Health Shots .
