Study Reveals that Paying for Organs is Cost Effective

Arecent study revealed that paying for kidney donations would increase thenumber of donated kidneys and be cost- effective. The University of Calgary inCanada conducted the study. Lianne Barnieh, the study author, was hoping tofind ways to increase the number of donors. The problem highlighted by theDepartment of Health and Human Services asserts there are almost 100,000 peopleacross the nation are in need of a kidney donation. Unfortunately, many peopledie because they never receive a transplant.

Becauseof the controversial nature of being paid for organs, the study focused onwhether paying donors would actually be cost effective. Barnieh created afinancial model based on research accounting for different costs and otherfactors such as improved quality of life for recipients. Using the financial model,the study revealed that paying for organs is cost effective. The savings isroughly $340 per patient.

See Amanda Woerner, Paying Kidney Donors Would be Cost-Effective, Study Shows, Fox News, Oct. 25, 2013.