Competition for altruism: bone and organ procurement in the United States.
The number of "units" of human bone used during surgical procedures has grown to almost a quarter of a million. Medical demand for such bone is expanding rapidly and the nation's bone-banking system is struggling to grow apace. Unfortunately, because of this growth, bone banks must compete with organ banks for access both to hospitals and to potential donors. This conflict can, and may already be, negatively affecting the supply of transplantable tissues and organs. The nature of this conflict is affected by current law and public policy, but those effects are little understood and perhaps not intended.
Prottas
J M
JM
Brandeis Institute for Health Policy, Heller Graduate School, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02254.
D016025:Bone Transplantation; D004465:Economic Competition; D035082:Federal Government; D033161:Government Regulation; D018594:Human Body; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D009938:Organizations; D011640:Public Policy; D014015:Tissue Banks; D014019:Tissue Donors; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement; D014481:United States