Should people be allowed to sell their organs?

Over at Political Mavens, our professor makes the case for an organ donation market makes the case that we should provide non-cash incentives, like healthcare or tax credits, for organ donors. It's an admirable goal to expect people to donate organs for free, but the result is a massive waiting list for organs and a shortage of donors. People who donate their kidneys can suffer from health problems down the road and must rest for weeks. As a result, the large majority of people donate organs because a relative needs one, not through altruism. It's unfair to the donors to ask them to take time off of work and suffer worse health without compensating them for donation. Furthermore, if donors were paid to donate organs people would not die on the waiting list. Sure the idea of selling organs is reprehensible, but I think it's far worse that people are dying because of a problem that has an easy fix.

Organ donation may be the only policy area in which Iran is the world leader.

Edited 3:45 PM Thursday December 4