Incentives for Organ Donation: Pros and Cons

• Published in: Transplantation proceedings Vol. 44; no. 6; pp. 1793 - 1794
• Main Author: Chkhotua, A
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.07.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Altruism; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Clinical death. Palliative care. Organ gift and preservation; Financial Support - ethics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Gift Giving - ethics; Government Regulation; Health Care Costs - ethics; Health Expenditures - ethics; Health Policy; Humans; Medical sciences; Motivation - ethics; Surgery; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Tissue and Organ Procurement - economics; Tissue and Organ Procurement - ethics; Tissue and Organ Procurement - legislation & jurisprudence; Tissue Donors - ethics; Tissue Donors - legislation & jurisprudence; Tissue Donors - psychology; Tissue Donors - supply & distribution; Tissue, organ and graft immunology; Incentive; Medicine; Ethics; Organ donation; Treatment; Surgery; Graft; Transplantation
• ISSN: 0041-1345; 1873-2623
• DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2012.05.038

Abstract Altruism still remains the main principle of organ donation worldwide. However, since the current practices has not met the demand for organs, new strategies should be found to encourage organ donation. Implementation of financial incentives in transplantation is a matter of debate among experts in the fields of transplantation, ethics, law, and economics. It should be acknowledged that donors incur many expenses while participating in the transplant process, which seems unfair. Various forms of incentives have been suggested and are currently used worldwide. This article describes current attitudes toward incentives for in transplantation used in different countries, arguing in favor as well as against them.