Apple on Wednesday announced that US iPhone users will be able to sign up to be a nationally registered organ, eye and tissue donor using the Health app on its upcoming iOS 10 mobile operating system.
The tech company is working with Donate Life America (DLA) to offer users this feature, which will also provide users with more information about the donation process.
Life-saving
"On average, one person dies every hour in the United States waiting for an organ transplant, because the demand for life-saving transplants far exceeds the available supply of organs - and one donor can save as many as eight lives," said David Fleming, president and CEO at DLA, in an Apple's online announcement of the feature.
This translates to over 8 000 deaths in the US each year due to lack of organ donations, according to DLA. The organisation also states that around 120 000 people currently await life-saving organ transplants in the US, and a new person is added to the national transplant waiting list about every ten minutes.
The SA Organ Donor Foundation (ODF), whose slogan is "save seven lives," states that there are approximately 4 300 people currently awaiting life-saving organ transplants in SA. According to ODF's most recent statistics, around 600 people in SA receive organ and cornea transplants each year.
Easing the burden
Apple notes that "in the absence of donor registration, families are left to make the [urgent] decision about donation in what is often the worst moment of their lives, the sudden and unexpected loss of a loved one," implying that simplifying the process of donor registration could leave fewer people in this situation.
The company adds that the iPhone's Health app also includes a "Medical ID" feature, which "makes critical health information available in case of emergency to first responders and is accessible from the iPhone lock screen," Apple explains. Such information can include blood type, health conditions, medications, allergies, emergency contacts, and organ donor status.
South Africans can register online to become organ donors via ODF's Web site.
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