Organ sales: Paying to live

[Clark]

http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2011/12/organ-sales

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Mr Berger would be angry that I called him a saint. He thinks "deifying donors only serves to make not donating seem normal." He'd rather such donations be seen as "one of the many ways a reasonably altruistic person can help others."

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If you are unconvinced by the regulated-market solution to the world's organ-shortage problem there are still other ways forward. For example, payment could be restricted to families of deceased donors. Or America could move from an opt-in system for organ donations, whereby people must agree to make such gifts, to an opt-out system, under which consent of the deceased is presumed. Such systems (commonly found in Europe) do not always lead to higher donations, but there is a good chance that it would in America, where an advanced transplant infrastructure is already in place. For individuals looking to encourage donations, there is the option of joining a group like LifeSharers. That organisation assures that your organs go first to people who have agreed to donate their own organs upon death. And, of course, the easiest thing one can do to help those in need is to simply register as an organ donor.