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Should We Promote Organ Donor Registries When So Few Registrants Will End Up Being Donors?

Author

Listed:
  • David H. Howard

    (Department of Health Policy and Management, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, david.howard@emory.edu)

  • Margaret M. Byrne

    (Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami, Miami, FL)

Abstract

Background . A major obstacle facing efforts to register organ donors is that the likelihood that any given registrant will die in such a way as to render his or her organs suitable for donation is extremely low. Such policies make sense only if the resources used to sign up an additional donor are proportional to the expected benefits. Methods . Using data on historical donation patterns, estimates of the potential donor supply, and an estimate of the monetary value of an organ donor, the authors calculate the average value to society of a registrant as a function of age at registration. Result . Under a “first-person consent†regime, the value of a registrant ages 18 to 34 years is $1900. The value of registering individuals who have not already registered is even higher because these persons are more likely to become donors. If donor families have the right of refusal, the value of a registrant is substantially less, around $840. Conclusion . Given that most donor registries are fairly limited operations, piggybacking on drivers' license registration and renewal administration, results suggest that registries are cost-effective. Of course, a complete analysis awaits concrete data on the costs of operating registries and attracting new registrants.

Suggested Citation

  • David H. Howard & Margaret M. Byrne, 2007. "Should We Promote Organ Donor Registries When So Few Registrants Will End Up Being Donors?," Medical Decision Making, , vol. 27(3), pages 243-249, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:medema:v:27:y:2007:i:3:p:243-249
    DOI: 10.1177/0272989X07299539
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Bilgel, Firat, 2020. "State Gun Control Laws, Gun Ownership and the Supply of Homicide Organ Donors," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    2. Zeynep Burcu Ugur, 2015. "Does Presumed Consent Save Lives? Evidence from Europe," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 24(12), pages 1560-1572, December.
    3. Jon Diesel, 2010. "Do Economists Reach a Conclusion on Organ Liberalization?," Econ Journal Watch, Econ Journal Watch, vol. 7(3), pages 320-336, September.
    4. Ugur, Z.B., 2013. "From headscarves to donation : Three essays on the economics of gender, health and happiness," Other publications TiSEM 9cfb068c-c08e-47aa-8c44-f, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    5. Siegel, Jason T. & McManus, Maria D. & Blazek, Danielle R. & Marshburn, Alexander, 2023. "Three-in-1,000 and dynamic norms: A mixed-method investigation of novel appeals for influencing organ donor registration," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 317(C).

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