Incentivizing living organ donation.
OBJECTIVE
The number of organs available for the patients on the transplant waitlist remains at a disproportionate low. All possible methods to curtail this shortage, including providing donors with incentives, have been proposed. This article reviews recent publications addressing the benefits and risks involved in incentivizing living donation.


RESULTS
The debate about the ethics, feasibility, and possible models for compensating organ donors has been prominent in recent literature. As certain countries take lead on this initiative, others are cautiously weighing in on the impact implementations of such policies may have on the society, especially on the underprivileged.


CONCLUSIONS
The shortage of organs has resulted in proposal of strategies that encroach on certain moral and ethical principles. Providing incentives to donors is one such strategy that is likely to receive a lot of attention in the next few years.
Cynowiec
Jessica
J
Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Multiorgan Abdominal Transplant Center, University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 90033, USA.
Kim
Jennifer
J
Qazi
Yasir A
YA
D003132:Commerce; D035881:Compensation and Redress; D033161:Government Regulation; D006291:Health Policy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D019520:Living Donors / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000600:supply & distribution; D009042:Motivation; D016377:Organ Transplantation / Q000191:economics / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000191:economics / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014481:United States; D014850:Waiting Lists