The case for a market for livers

Abstract. Liver transplantation is a necessary procedure to save the lives of thousands of people suffering from a multitude of diseases. Unfortunately, there are currently 14,301 individuals in the United States in dire need of a liver currently on the wait list, with more people added each year than removed as a result of successful transplantation. This is largely due to the National Organ Transplant Act of 1984’s outlawing the compensation of donors for their organs, which, in concurrence with basic economic theory, has resulted in a vast supply shortage. This paper aims to assess the state of the organ transplantation system in the United States and make the case that compensation for organ donors will not only remedy the vast shortage, but would prove to be a more economical alternative than the status quo. Keywords. Market for livers, National organ transplant.JEL. I11, I18