What diseases disqualify you from donating organs?

September 22, 2025 •

4 min read

While most people can register to be organ donors, only a small percentage ultimately become donors after death. A person's medical history is a primary factor reviewed at the time of death, which helps determine what diseases disqualify you from donating organs and tissues.

Quick Summary

Very few conditions, such as active cancers, systemic infections, and some transmissible diseases, rule out donation entirely; a dedicated medical team evaluates each potential donor's organs individually at the time of death. Many health issues do not automatically prevent a person from becoming a donor, as guidelines continue to evolve with medical science.

Key Points

Case-by-case evaluation: Most medical conditions do not automatically disqualify you; eligibility is determined by a medical team at the time of death.
Absolute disqualifications are rare: Conditions like active, spreading cancer, systemic infections, and prion diseases generally prevent donation entirely due to the high risk of transmission.
HIV and Hepatitis are not automatic exclusions: Advancements mean organs from HIV-positive or hepatitis-positive donors can be transplanted into recipients with the same condition under specific protocols.
Organ viability matters: If one organ is affected by a disease, others may still be healthy and suitable for transplantation.
Registering is the first step: The best way to ensure your wishes are known is to register. This allows medical experts to assess your potential to save lives.
Eligibility evolves with medicine: Medical advancements continuously change the criteria for donation, making more people eligible over time.

Understanding the Donor Evaluation Process

When someone is registered as an organ donor, their medical eligibility is not determined until after death. This is because many factors can change over a lifetime, and organs that may have been affected by one illness could still be healthy enough for transplant. A highly trained team of medical professionals thoroughly evaluates each organ individually to ensure it is suitable and safe for a recipient. The evaluation prioritizes the health and safety of the transplant recipient, and the potential risk of transmitting a disease or infection is the main reason for disqualification.

General disqualification criteria

Some health conditions are considered absolute contraindications for deceased organ donation due to the risk of disease transmission or compromising the transplant's success. This is a general guideline, and it is always important to register to allow medical professionals to make a final determination based on current medical standards. Absolute disqualifications typically include:

Active, metastasizing cancer: Cancer that has spread from its original site disqualifies a person from organ donation due to the high risk of transmitting cancerous cells to the recipient.
Certain systemic infections: Serious, active, and uncontrolled infections that could be passed to the recipient are a reason for disqualification. Examples include some types of severe meningitis or active tuberculosis.
Prion diseases: Conditions like Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), also known as "Mad Cow" disease, are fatal neurodegenerative disorders caused by transmissible prions and are an absolute contraindication for donation.
Active HIV/AIDS: While HIV status once completely disqualified a person, the HIV Organ Policy Equity (HOPE) Act now allows for organs from HIV-positive donors to be transplanted into HIV-positive recipients under strict protocols. However, donation to an HIV-negative recipient remains prohibited.

Chronic illnesses and eligibility

Many chronic conditions do not automatically disqualify a person from becoming an organ donor, but they are carefully evaluated. The ability to donate often depends on the specific organ, the severity of the disease, and how well it has been managed. Doctors determine at the time of death whether an organ is viable for transplantation.

Hepatitis: Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C, once major barriers, are now manageable. Like with HIV, organs from donors with hepatitis can sometimes be transplanted into recipients who also have the same condition, helping to expand the donor pool.
Diabetes: Many people with diabetes can become organ donors. A person with diabetes may still be able to donate their heart or lungs even if their pancreas is affected. The organ's specific health and function are the determining factors.
Heart disease: The type and severity of heart disease matter. A person who dies from a heart attack may not be able to donate their heart, but their other organs, such as kidneys and liver, might be perfectly healthy and usable.
Kidney disease: While severe kidney disease would prevent kidney donation, a person could still potentially donate other healthy organs, like the liver or heart.

The case-by-case assessment and modern advances

One of the most important things to remember is that registering to be an organ donor is a statement of intent. The final medical decision is made by transplant specialists at the time of donation, based on a comprehensive medical assessment. This assessment includes:

Organ evaluation: Each organ is assessed individually for its viability. If one organ is not suitable, others may be.
Blood testing: Comprehensive blood tests screen for transmissible diseases, as mandated by health authorities.
Risk vs. Benefit: In some cases, organs with potential risks may be considered for a critically ill recipient who would not survive otherwise, with a full, informed consent process.

Outbound link to authoritative source

For detailed information on the organ donation process and donor-recipient matching, visit the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) website.

A comparison of diseases and donor eligibility


Disease Category	Absolute Disqualification?	Case-by-Case Evaluation?	Notes
Active Cancer	Yes, if metastasizing.	Yes, for past cancers in remission or certain low-risk types.	Depends on type, remission duration, and effect on organs. Corneas are often still donatable.
HIV/AIDS	Historically yes, but now depends on recipient status.	Yes, for HIV-positive donors to HIV-positive recipients.	Prohibited from donating to HIV-negative recipients.
Hepatitis	No, not automatically.	Yes.	Donors with Hepatitis B or C can sometimes donate to recipients with the same condition.
Diabetes	No.	Yes.	Organs like the heart or lungs may be healthy even if the pancreas is not.
Active Systemic Infection	Yes.	No.	Risk of transmitting infection to recipient is too high.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease	Yes.	No.	Prion diseases are a universal disqualification for donation.

The evolving nature of medical criteria

Medical advancements mean that eligibility guidelines for organ donation are constantly changing. Conditions that once led to automatic disqualification, like HIV and Hepatitis, now have specific protocols that allow for safe transplantation in certain circumstances. This expansion of the donor pool helps to save more lives. Research and advances in transplant medicine continue to push the boundaries of what is possible, and the best way to ensure your wishes are known is to register as a donor.

Conclusion

While certain diseases, primarily those that are transmissible and could harm the recipient, disqualify a person from organ donation, the list is much shorter than many people believe. The final determination is not made until the time of death and is based on a thorough, case-by-case assessment by a medical team. Chronic conditions like diabetes or hepatitis do not automatically prevent donation, and in many cases, some organs can still be viable even if others are not. By registering as an organ donor, you are entrusting this decision to medical experts who will ensure that your organs can be used safely to save lives whenever possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, in many cases. The ability to donate depends on the type of cancer, whether it has been successfully treated, and the duration of remission. Active or metastasizing cancer is a disqualifier, but low-risk cancers or those in long-term remission may not prevent donation.

No, not always. Thanks to the HOPE Act, organs from HIV-positive donors can now be transplanted into HIV-positive recipients, helping to expand the donor pool. However, donation to an HIV-negative recipient is not permitted.

Yes, many people with diabetes can be organ donors. A doctor evaluates each organ individually, and it's possible that a person with diabetes could still donate a healthy heart, lungs, or other organs even if their pancreas is not viable for transplant.

Yes, a few conditions pose a significant and untreatable risk of transmission. These include active, spreading cancers; certain systemic infections; and prion diseases like Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD).

There is no upper age limit for organ donation. A person's medical condition is more important than their age, and the decision is made on a case-by-case basis at the time of death. The oldest known donor was 95.

Not necessarily. Similar to HIV, organs from donors with Hepatitis B or C can sometimes be safely transplanted into recipients who also have the same condition. A full medical evaluation determines the viability.

No, registering is a statement of intent. At the time of death, a medical team assesses which organs are healthy and viable for transplant. It's possible that some organs may not be suitable while others are.