Final answer:
The Uniform Anatomical Gift Act is the federal law that facilitates the donation of one's organs or body parts for transplantation or medical research, which is essential in the context of organ shortages, such as the limited availability of hearts for transplant.
Step-by-step explanation:
The federal act that allows people to donate their body or parts of their body after death for transplantation or medical research is the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act. This act provides a uniform legal framework for the donation of organs, tissues, and other human body parts in the United States.
It establishes the procedures one must follow to make an anatomical gift either after death or as a living donor. The act has been crucial in addressing the shortage of organs for transplantation, such as the situation where many patients are waiting for life-saving heart transplants but there are not enough hearts available.
Understanding and adhering to the guidelines of this act are essential because they uphold both the ethical considerations of organ donation and the rights of the donors.