Since there is an opportunity to save thousands of lives by enabling more people to be organ donors, shouldn’t we take it? Thirty years ago, the United States enacted a law that has inadvertently condemned hundreds of thousands of Americans to death. As a result of the National Organ Transplant Act of 1984, more Americans have lost their lives waiting for an organ than died in both World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq put together. The act clearly states that the procurement of organs is prohibited; therefore, any financial compensation to donors is also illegal. Reforms must be made to the Transplant Act that would allow compensation to living donors. This would make organ donation financially feasible for the average American, …show more content…
According to U.S. Census Bureau data, only 8% could afford to donate an organ at a cost of more than $5,000 without dipping into their savings or going into debt in 2013. The majority of people who are living donors give to a family member or friend, but the financial hardships are considerable and people are regularly denied permission to donate because they don't have enough financial resources.
Organ donation is uncompensated for several reasons. It prevents the legalized sale of organs, which may essentially be given price tags. Some may start donating due to financial hardships, which takes away the altruistic aspect of donation, and financial incentives could lead to criminal activity. While these are understandable concerns, the lives that could be saved by a financial compensation policy for organ donors far outweigh any possible issues.
The original intention of the Transplant Act was to help those in the greatest medical need first. Congress could still enact reforms consistent with that intention. It could allow the United Network for Organ Sharing, aided by federal funds, to pay donation-related expenses for Americans willing to help those who are at the top of the waiting list. Furthermore, it could permit recipients and charities to support the other donors. This would assure that government funds went to those closest to dying, and non-government funds would cover donor expenses for anyone