Saving lives and money by incentivizing living organ donation

Source: Niskanen Center
by Lawson Mansell & Cecilia Esterline

“In the U.S., an average of 13 people die every day awaiting an organ transplant. Of the more than 105,000 Americans waiting for organs, over 86 percent are awaiting a kidney. While many Americans are willing to donate their organs after death, only three in 1,000 people die in such a way that their organs can be used for posthumous donation under the strict medical criteria. Increasing donor registration to close the gap between the number of people who support organ donation and those who are actually signed up to donate after death could provide modest benefits. But living donation, when possible, is the better alternative, and encouraging it, for both the lifesaving and budgetary savings benefits, should be a major policy priority.” (08/12/25)

https://www.niskanencenter.org/saving-lives-and-money-by-incentivizing-living-organ-donation