Hawley Zackary, Li Danyang, Schnier Kurt, Turgeon Nicole
Department of Economics, Texas Christian University, 2855 Main Drive, Fort Worth, TX, 76129, USA.
Department of Economics, Hofstra University, Barnard Hall 200E, Hempstead, NY, 11549, USA.
Econ Hum Biol. 2018 May;29:128-137. doi: 10.1016/j.ehb.2018.03.001. Epub 2018 Mar 7.
Our research utilizes the experimental economics laboratory to investigate the impact that reducing disincentives has on organ donation. The experiment consists of four treatments across different levels of donation related costs, which reflect the disincentives associated with being an organ donor. Our experimental results indicate that sizable increases in the organ donation rate are achievable if we reduce the level of disincentives present. The largest observed donation rates arise when a financial return is offered for being an organ donor, which is prohibited under the National Organ Transplant Act (NOTA), but nearly 80% of the gains observed under the positive financial incentives can be achieved if all of the disincentives are eliminated.
