Refusal of anatomical gift · Advance directive
Refusal of anatomical gift vs advance directive
They operate at different times and neither one does the other's job. An advance directive speaks for you while you are alive and cannot speak for yourself. A refusal of anatomical gift operates after death.
The difference that matters
Having one of these does not give you the other.
Side by side
What each one is, and when it operates
Refusal of anatomical gift
What it is
Refuses donation of your organs, eyes and tissue, and bars anyone else from authorizing it on your behalf.
When it operates
Operates after death. Rests on your state's anatomical gift act, which gives a signed refusal its own section.
Advance directive
What it is
Refuses specific treatments while you are alive. You choose which: vaccines, blood, or both, and exactly how far each refusal goes.
When it operates
Operates while you are alive, including when you cannot speak for yourself.
Also easy to confuse
Other comparisons
- Refusing Donation vs. Removing Yourself from the Donor Registry
- Coming off the registry, or taking the mark off a license, removes a yes. It does not record a no.
- Refusing vaccines vs refusing blood on a WearableDocs record
- Only one of the two is part of the document you signed.
- Wallet card vs engraved bracelet
- The card needs no engraver, no minimum width and no fiber laser.
Your state
What your own state requires
A refusal only works if it is on the form your state recognizes. See your state’s organ donation refusal and your state’s advance directive.