Financial incentive needed to bolster organ donor numbers

The lack of organ donors within not just our community but our nation as a whole is quite shocking and unfortunate.

For instance, in 2016, nearly 33,612 transplants were performed. As of August 2017, 115,759 people were still on the waiting list. This, in turn, is not only threatening the survival rates of many in need of these organs but is calling attention to the ineffective system of altruism that has long been the foundation of the organ donor program.

In order to increase the market with available organs, the federal government should offer subsidies to the states that encourage driver’s license holders to be donors; because it will alleviate organ shortages and the cost spent during the waiting period.

It is important to note that this financial incentive is actually an intangible savings, meaning that unlike the proposed organ market, it will not necessarily call for the removal of the NOTA Act ( National Organ Transplant Act of 1984) due to the fact that these participants are not physically receiving money in their hands from their donation.

An ethical and economically fair alternative to solving the organ donor shortages would be to have the states waive driver’s license renewal fees for those who become organ donors.

Although, one would argue that many driver’s license holders in states that have longer expiration dates (12 years) for their renewal fees, such as in Arizona, will not find this incentive worth their time. They must take into consideration that even though they have a longer time until they have to pay for renewal, it is still money that could be saved.

Another thing to note is that when Arizona’s citizens reach the age of 65 the renewal fee will be charged continuously every five years. The states can even expand upon this financial incentive by not only eliminating the renewal fee but the initial cost of getting one as well.

By including this additional incentive more people, especially those who are getting their license in Florida for the first time, will be more likely to take advantage of this opportunity in saving the current $48. Making the renewal fee complimentary for those who register as organ donors will not only encourage more participants but it will maintain the value of altruism that this program was founded upon.

NIKI FERRER, LOXAHATCHEE