"Eight lives saved this week by death row inmate."



This week, a death row inmate will be executed.

The human body contains over 25 transplantable parts. 

Most organ donations come from accident victims with varying degrees of useful organs.  But with a scheduled execution, one willing condemned inmate can save at least 8 lives and potentially many more.  The above headline could be a reality. 

The American Medical Association has recognized this potential benefit by including organ donations in its capital punishment guidelines.  However, no state prisons have made such donations possible. 

Lethal injection protocols which previously disallowed viable donations are changing. Now, alternatives exist that make organ donations viable, humane, and medically feasible (see Latest Developments page).

I am a death row inmate who has volunteered to end my death penalty appeals to donate my organs after execution.  Not to set right my wrongs – as this is unfortunately impossible – but to make a positive out of an otherwise horrible situation.

- Christian Longo
G.A.V.E. Founder
[email protected]


 

Why aren't donations from the executed already being accepted? 
  • G.A.V.E. e-Book - Comprehensive look at all issues pertaining to donations from the executed.  Includes all of the below stated concerns and more.  Full research references. 

The most often stated concerns:

"Prisoners are at high risk for infectious diseases like AIDS and Hepatitis. Testing is not 100%."
     - While prison is a high-risk environment, prisoners actually live with less risk than many U.S. populations.  Cities such as New York City, Washington DC and Miami have a much higher prevalence for infectious diseases than prisons per capita, yet the transplant community seeks to increase donations from these areas.

Testing for infectious diseases is not 100% accurate, but it is greater than 98%.  Redundant testing for antibodies and the virus itself virtually guarantees the inmate is not a disease carrier prior to execution.
          > High risk?  - A comparison of prison inmates vs society.
          > Chart  - HIV/AIDS infections of prisoners vs other high-risk populations. "Current lethal injection protocols don't allow for viable organ donations."
     - False.  States have begun adopting a new one-drug protocol which preserves organ viability.
          > One-drug Protocol  - The necessity for states to adopt.

"Physicians don't participate in executions.  Transplants can't be done."
   
- False.  Physicians do regularly participate in the lethal injection process.  It's likely that more will do so given the life saving option of organ donation and the

AMA's recent permission.
          > Physician participation in executions and organ retrieval.
          > AMA Capital Punishment Guidelines - permitting donations.


"There aren't enough executions to make a difference."
   
- False.  For years death row inmates have asked to be able to donate after execution.  If given the option, some surveys have revealed that about 50% would volunteer to be donors.  With over 1100 executions since 1990, at least 3300 could have been saved already with a potential for up to 9200 lives.  Not an insignificant number.



Request notifications of updates or contact G.A.V.E. by emailing  [email protected].