When this happens, the heart and lung functions can be maintained with the aid of artificial life support for a short time before the organs begin to deteriorate. Brain death is an accepted medical, ethical and legal principal. Only after brain death is diagnosed and declared in a hospital can organs be donated. When on such medical support, the body has color and is warm to the touch, however it is not alive. The bottom line is that brain death is not a coma - it is irreversible.
Some people wrongly think that it costs money to donate.
Actually, donation is a gift and costs the donor family nothing. All costs associated with the recovery are charged to the donor program. In fact, a program proposed by the Pennsylvania governor's advisory committee recommended offering families money for funeral costs in hopes of encouraging organ donations. Special Treatment Rich and famous people do not get organs sooner than the rest of us. The allocation of organs is determined by the United Network of Organ Sharing, UNOS , a nonprofit organization.