Health Matters: Human Organ Donations, Sales, and the Black Market

TL;DR

This paper compares altruistic organ donation and open sales markets, arguing that combining altruism with presumed consent and incentives is preferable to legal sales for addressing organ shortages and black market issues.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of organ procurement systems, advocating for policy reforms that enhance altruistic donation rather than legalizing sales.

Findings

Altruistic donation with presumed consent can increase organ supply.

Legal sales do not guarantee reduction in black market activities.

Financial incentives may boost donation rates.

Abstract

In this paper I explore the human organ procurement system. Which is better for saving lives and limiting black market use, the present altruistic system of donations or a free and open sales market? I explain that there is a risk with maintaining the present system, the altruistic vision, and that people may die who might otherwise live if the sale of organs was permitted. But there is no guarantee that permitting organ sales would effectively address the current supply-side shortage and global use of the black market. In addition to discussing the implications of these procurement systems, I look at methods to increase organ donations and I explore the differences between presumed and explicit consent. Ultimately, I conclude that the altruistic donation system, bolstered by the addition of a policy of presumed consent and appropriate financial incentives, is a better choice than a legal sales market in spite of its shortcomings.