Benefits Of Donor Compensation

In recent years, controversy has been arising over the idea of organ donors being given compensation to encourage donations. Critics state that it would be difficult and perplexing to regulate an organ market. Moreover, Americans today tend to believe that selling human organs is demeaning and can shape a world where the human body’s purpose is to make profit. Such publications have led officials to pass a law asserting that offering incentives to donors is a crime and illegal in the United States. However, there still are many benefits of donor compensation, such as rescuing lives and reducing the need for dialysis, which can be expensive. Although many may go against the idea of donor compensation, the idea is effective because it will save
lives and proves to be more economical.
Saving Lives
Donor compensations will not only encourage donations, but also save indefinite lives. According to the American Transplant Foundation, “22 people die each day while waiting for a transplant” (n.d.). This indicates that countless people die each year due to the shortage of organs available for transplants. However, Benjamin, Miller and North, authors of The Economics of Public Issues, suggest that the Iranian system will influence the United States to a successful conclusion in increasing the number of transplants and save lives (Benjamin, Miller, North 2010). The Iranian system uses monetary compensation to elevate their numbers in donations and saving lives. In other words, not only does the donor receive incentives from the recipient but also from the government, reducing the deaths of thousands and skyrocketing the quantity of transplants operated. Furthermore, in the article titled, “An Organ Shortage Kills 30 Americans Every Day. Is It Time to Pay Donors?” Dr. Sally Satel, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, states that “the waiting list would be cleared within five years” with the use of monetary exchange in organs (Humphreys 2014). The basis of Dr. Satel’s statement is if the United States creates a market for organs, the waiting list will gradually decrease and so will death rates. As a result, compensating donors will not only increase the number of donations, but will also save the lives of thousands.
Economical
An additional benefit to donor compensation is that the idea will make the market more economical for those in need.
Stressful as it is, patients on the waiting list often use the black market as their source of hope. However, merchants often overprice their products which cause additional difficulties, such as the lack of currency, to the victim. Though, Dr. Satel suggests a system where, “a third party [such as the government or a charity] provides the reward, all patients, not just the financially secure, will benefit” (Humphreys 2014). In other words, Dr. Satel asserts that if the United States created a system in which the government or charities funded for these patients, those in need will be able to afford organs from donors outside the black market. Further evidence founded in his article, “Great Debate: Should Organ Donors Be Paid?” Rachel Rettner, Senior Writer of Live Science, states that “the government would pay for the incentive, regardless of its form…the set-up would mean that the rich and equal access to [the] kidneys” (Rettner 2009). Basically, the government would pay the incentive for the rich or poor, thus both classes will have the same convenience to various organs. Therefore, compensating donors will lead organ markets to become more
economical.
Conclusion
The idea of organ donors being given compensation to encourage donations influences the majority of the population to participate in donations. This process will be beneficial in the sense that it will save lives and be more economical. Reimbursing those who donate their organs will save countless lives by using the Iranian system which will shortly clear the waiting list.