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Melissa Casey Proposal Essay October 11, 2020 Professor Neese

Solve Organ Shortages

There are over 100,000 individuals on a donor wait list in the United States to this day, with the need of transplants increasing all over the world, there must be some change being made without donor system. There are many individuals on the donor wait list, that are not given a second chance at life, some wait years for a donor match, and others die while waiting for one. The National Transplant Act, signed by President Ronald Reagan, to recognize federal structure for donors and donations was signed in hopes to encourage more donors to donate, and help with the organ shortages that America faced. Sadly, this was not the case, everyone knows that it is so simple to sign up to become a donor, but most individuals choose not to do so. (Humphreys, 2018) Every ten minutes, a new individual is being added to the transplant waiting list in the United States. (American Transplant Foundation, 2018) In the United States, there are ninety five percent of organ transplants being done daily, and yet only one donor can save ultimately save eight lives. The number of individuals added to the waiting list each year is increasing, but the number of donors is declining each year. In the state of New York, 12. 7% of individuals are registered donors in New York City, and five hundred people have died in 2017 waiting on a transplant. (Advisory Board, 2018) The more people that are added to the organ transplant list, waiting for organs, sadly the more individuals will die because of the shortage of organs.

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Unfortunately, individuals feel that donating an organ is a complete waste of time because of the medical professionals. If there are more and more people that do not trust medical professionals, this makes them less likely to even become an organ donor. The shortage of organs is a huge problem because the lack of donors, selling on the black market, and some individual religious beliefs. The amount of organ shortages are on the rise, this will continue because the supply and demand is not there. There are more people needing a lifesaving organ, than those that are willing to donate. Organ donor shortage is very challenging and causes individuals to look elsewhere for an organ that themselves or a loved one may need. Even though some turn to other ways of obtaining an organ, there are many people dying each day because the lack of organ donors. In the United Kingdom, there were 600,000 individuals that have died in 2018, and there were only 1% of the population that was even qualified to donate. (Bodkin,2018) Solving the organ shortage, means there needs to be more individuals that are willing to become donors, or states and countries may consider taking other drastic measures, such as an organ donation law. There are states that have recommended different ways to increase the organ donation amount through financial advantages for donors, or through relaxed standards for donated organs. (Samuel, 2017) Another way to ensure that we have more donors donate is to require individuals to sign up to become a donor. Individuals are continuing to bury loved ones, instead of donating an organ that can potentially save their life. The Black Market is well known for buying and selling organs. There are many individuals that turn to the black market in hopes to find an organ that could potentially be lifesaving. With the shortage of organs and donors, this causes the supply and demand on organs to be too high. Not having enough individuals willing to donate is causing the transplant list to

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back up and get longer by the days. This causes an induvial to pursue other ways to receiving an organ they need, and sadly it is turning to the illegal black market. So many people from all over the world, are turning to the black market and getting surgeries done in unhealthy conditions, and even causing them to get very ill, or even die. These individuals turn to the black market because the supply of organs is so low legally by donors, that they do not know what else to do. People are turning to ways they feel will save their life, when in doubt, it could cause more issues for them and their family in the long run. There are individuals that are fortunate enough to have a loved one or a friend that is willing to donate an organ if they can, but this does not go for everyone on the waiting list, the fight for organ donors and the fight against death for these individuals will remain as long as there is a long waiting list for organ transplants. (Stier, 2007) It is not brain science to know that the black market has donated or purchased organs at a higher cost that a typical organ transplant list. Receiving and giving organs on the black market comes with a high price tag, sometimes even severe health complications, but some individuals will see this as an opportunity to save a life, be saved, and or make money. But, why turn to this if you can simply make the right choices and become a donor, so many more individuals have a potential of living a longer life? When someone is at their wits end, and will do anything to live, have a second chance at life, this is what causes people to turn to the black market, because they feel that this will be faster than a typical donor list. In most cases, it is true, this is faster, but is not an ethical and safe way of receiving a second chance at life. The shortage of organs and donors has led to many more deaths and kidnapping to find donors on the black market today. (Ranker, 2018) The Black Market works on supply and demand case, so in all actuality, if the organ transplant list did not have an overabundance amount of individuals waiting for organs, and had more donors willing to donate, the black market that we know today would likely be

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eliminated. The more people that refuse to donate, the longer the black market will stay in effect because the demand of these organs are unable to meet the needs of people. (Erin & Harris, 2003). If legalization of organ sales was passed, waiting for an organ would diminish, there would possibly be less deaths while waiting for organs, and individuals would not feel the need to turn to the black market, and put themselves in danger doing so. There are many things that play a factor in organ donations such as the blood type needed to match and the locality of the patient. (Health Careers, 2020) Very few individuals know if they are eligible to be an organ donor, but honestly unless you have severe health issues, you have a right to donate your organs. Becoming an organ donor is so easy, with it being as easy as it is, you would think there would be an increase in donors each year, but this is not the case. It is important of someone decides to become a donor to share that information with loved ones, this way it will not come to a surprise when the time comes whether it be a living organ, or from someone that has passed. Ones religious belief could also be a reason for choosing not to donate. Some people feel that religious affairs play and important role in organ transplants and donors. When there is a death, it could cause a spiritual effect on a person when it comes to organ donations. For, instance, religions allow individuals to be donors, but some people may have a different religious view, and it solely depends on how the individual feels. Some people feel that organs should only be transplanted from a deceased individual, rather from a living donor, so this may keep some people from donating as well. (Donor Recovery, 2018) In conclusion, everyone can agree that there needs to be something done to help with the organ donation shortage. With having a lack of donors, this poses a risk to everyone on the transplant lists waiting for an organ, that could be detrimental. The more supply goes down and

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demand goes up, the black market will remain, since some people can only get an organ by turning to the black market. Law makers and state and federal governments need to come together and create a new donor system, that will make more individuals want to become donors. There needs to be a complete replenishment of the organ transplant list, by using organs from both the living and the deceased. If individuals are given more information on becoming donors, this can hopefully make more people want to become a donor so more lives can be saved over time. (NFK, 2018)

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References

Advisory Board, (2018). Why people decide not to donate their organs. Retrieve from: https:// www.advisory.com/daily-briefing/2014/11/11/why-people-decide-not-to-donate their-organs

American Transplant Foundation. Facts and Myths. American Transplant Foundation. Accessed on Aug 05, 2018,

Bodkin, Henry, (2018). 'Opt-out' organ donations won't solve waiting lists deaths, says NHS chief, Retrieve from: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/02/15/opt-out-organdonations wont-solve-waiting-lists-deaths-says/

Donor Recovery, (2018). Religion and Organ Donation, Retrieve From: http://www.donorrecovery.org/learn/religion-and-organ-donation/

Erin, C., & Harris, J. (2003, June 01). An ethical market in human organs. Retrieved August 30, 2020, from https://jme.bmj.com/content/29/3/137.full

Health Careers (2020, February 28) 46 Vital Organ Donation Statistics and Facts to Know in 2020. Retrieved from https://healthcareers.co/organ-donation-statistics/#:~:text= %20Statistics%20on%20Organ%20Donation%20at%20a%20Glance,80%20organ %20transplants%20in%20the%20US...%20More%20

Humphreys, Keith (2018). An organ shortage kills 30 Americans every day. Is it time to pay donors? Retrieve from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2014/10/20/an organ-shortage-kills-30-americans-every-day-is-it-time-to-pay donors/?

The National Kidney Foundation (NKF), (2018). Religion and Organ Donation, Retrieve From: https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/religion-organ-donation

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Samuel, Leah (2017). To solve organ shortage, states consider ‘opt-out’ organ donation laws, Retrieve from: https://www.statnews.com/2017/07/06/opt-solution-organ-shortag

Stier, Jeff (2007). Ending Black Market for Organs. Retrieve from: https://nypost.com/2007/08/06/ending-black-market-for-organs/...