A: Before recovering tissues, strict guidelines are followed which include blood tests and a thorough review with your family of your medical and behavioral history. These procedures are followed to ensure that no disease is present in the donor, which might harm a tissue recipient. Some tissue can only be thoroughly tested after it has been recovered and processed. Until all tests and processes are completed to determine safety and medical suitability, the tissue will not be released for transplant. If tissues recovered have been found to be unsafe for transplant, and the family has expressed the desire to help others through research, tissues may then be made available for research purposes to approved research agencies.