Chapter 3 Blog

Article:http://www.economist.com/world/britain/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12641944

With the increase in life span and obesity rates in wealthy countries, the demand for organs are growing rapidly. But the amount of organ donors have not increases at the same rate. In Britain, 3000 people received life saving organ transplants in 2007 while 1000 have died waiting for donors. 8000 are still on the waiting list. With a problem like this, the British government is looking to shifting into a ‘presumed consent’ system that most European countries use. Instead of willing donors signing up to donate, the presumed consent system is the opposite. Everyone is assumed donors unless they register their objection. But many question just how much this system would help, if at all.

 

The article deals with the government control over a countries organ market. The government can apply rules that influence the amount of organs that is being put out into the system. This affects the market because the more organs that are available the less there is for the need for people to go to other countries and get the transplants illegally. Also with more organs for transplants, less people would be on the waiting list. It saves the government taxes because it costs the government money to keep patients on waiting lists and many other problems may arise during the wait, which leads to more taxes being spent.

 

I think if the government does decide to use the presumed consent system, many more organs would be available for those in need of one. I do believe the problem for some is not because they do not wish to donate their organ, its simply because they didn’t take the time to go and get registered or do not know where the registry is. With the presumed consent system, it would eliminate those factors. Only those that have a strong opposition against organ donation would have to have the trouble of registering. Since a lot of people’s organs would be up for donation without the need of payment, the chances of an organ black market would be scarce therefore eliminate the problem of the survivor of the rich and death with the poor.