Apple Adds Organ Donor Registration To Health App

Most of us are probably fairly familiar with the idea of signing up to be (or not to be) an organ donor when renewing our driver’s license. Apple’s working to take the Department of Motor Vehicles out of the equation by pushing organ donor registration with its new operating system.

Apple and Donate Life America today announced a new partnership that will include a new Health app feature in the upcoming iOS 10 update. The new feature will make it easier for millions of consumer to register as organ donors.

The option to enroll in the national donor registry will be available on all iPhone preloaded Health apps once the iOS update rolls out this fall.

All registrations submitted from an iPhone will be sent directly to the National Donate Life Registry managed by Donate Life America.

“By working with Apple to bring the National Donate Life Registry to the Health app on iPhone, we’re making it easier for people to find out about organ, eye and tissue donation and quickly register. This is a huge step forward that will ultimately help save lives,” David Fleming, President & CEO of Donate Life America, said in a statement.

Apple CEO Tim Cook tells the Associated Press that the push for donors is the company’s way of trying to alleviate the longstanding donor shortage that hit home for the tech giant when the company’s co-founder Steve Jobs died from pancreatic cancer in 2011. Jobs had previously received a liver transplant.

Over 120,000 Americans are currently waiting for a lifesaving transplant — and every 10 minutes, a new individual is added to the national transplant waiting list, according to Apple.

“Apple’s mission has always been to create products that transform people’s lives. With the updated Health app, we’re providing education and awareness about organ donation and making it easier than ever to register,” Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer, said in a statement. “Together with Donate Life America, we’re excited to deliver this new feature to iPhone users in the US with iOS 10.”

by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist