THE AFF NETWORK

May 9, 2007

Organ Markets: Ethical Dilemma Or Obvious Solution?

On Wednesday, May 9, 2007, AFF hosted a roundtable on the ethics of organ sales. Over 70,000 Americans are waiting for a kidney and the list is growing every day. The 1984 National Organ Transplantation Act made it illegal to sell or acquire an organ for money, and created the often dreaded "national waiting list."

Donation solely by altruism is not working for most patients. Is organ donation simply a supply and demand problem that can be solved by introducing market incentives? Or is allowing financial gain for body parts a violation of basic human dignity? Is America ready to move to a free-market organ allocation process? Should we look to the European "presumed consent model" where all citizens are considered a donor unless they opt-out? Or is the answer to look at other non-monetary incentives?

Discuss these issues were Dr. Sally Satel of the American Enterprise Institute, Kerry Howley of Reason Magazine, Dr. Sam Crowe of the President's Council on Bioethics, and Michael Fragoso of the Family Research Council. Christie Raniszewski Herrera of the American Legislative Exchange Council moderated.

Audio

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