Do incentives matter? Providing benefits to families of organ donors

The Magnitude of the Health and Economic Impact of Increased Organ Donation on Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease

Objectives. There are several approaches such as presumed consent and compensation for deceased donor organs that could reduce the gap between supply and demand for kidneys. Our objective is to evaluate the magnitude of the economic impact of policies to increase deceased donor organ donation in the United States. Methods. We built a Markov model and simulate an open cohort of end-stage renal disease patients awaiting kidney transplantation in the United States over 20 years. Model inputs were derived from the United States Renal Data System and published literature. We evaluate the magnitude of the health and economic impact of policies to increase deceased donor kidney donation in the United States. Results. Increasing deceased kidney donation by 5% would save $4.7 billion, and gain 30,870 quality-adjusted life years over the lifetime of an open cohort of patients on dialysis on the waitlist for kidney transplantation. With an increase in donations of 25%, the cost saved was $21 billion, and 145,136 quality-adjusted life years were gained. Policies increasing deceased kidney donation by 5% could pay donor estates $8000 or incur a onetime cost of up to $4 billion and still be cost-saving. Conclusions. Increasing deceased kidney donation could significantly impact national spending and health for end-stage renal disease patients.

Evaluating Deceased Donor Registries: Identifying Predictive Factors of Donor Designation

The objectives of this study were to evaluate and compare the performance of the deceased donor registries of the 50 states and the District of Columbia and to identify possible predictive factors of donor designation. Data were collected retrospectively by Donate Life America using a questionnaire sent to Donor Designation Collaborative state teams between 2007 and 2010. By the end of 2010, there were 94,669,081 designated donors nationwide. This accounted for 39.8 per cent of the U.S. population aged 18 years and over. The number of designated organ donors and registry-authorized recovered donors increased each year; however, the total number of recovered donors in 2010 was the lowest since 2004. Donor designation rate was significantly higher when license applicants were verbally questioned at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) regarding their willingness to register as a donor and when DMV applicants were not given an option on DMV application forms to contribute money to support organ donation, compared with not being questioned verbally, and being offered an option to contribute money. State registries continue to increase the total number of designated organ donors; however, the current availability of organs remains insufficient to meet the demand. These data suggest that DMV applicants who are approached verbally regarding their willingness to register as a donor and not given an option on DMV application forms to contribute money to support organ donation might be more likely to designate themselves to be a donor.

Does financial compensation for living kidney donation change willingness to donate?

The potential use of financial compensation to increase living kidney donation rates remains controversial in potentially introducing undue inducement of vulnerable populations to donate. This cross-sectional study assessed amounts of financial compensation that would generate motivation and an undue inducement to donate to family/friends or strangers. Individuals leaving six Departments of Motor Vehicles were surveyed. Of the 210 participants who provided verbal consent (94% participation rate), respondents' willingness to donate would not change (70%), or would increase (29%) with compensation. Median lowest amounts of financial compensation for which participants would begin to consider donating a kidney were $5000 for family/friends, and $10,000 for strangers; respondents reporting $0 for family/friends (52%) or strangers (26%) were excluded from analysis. Median lowest amounts of financial compensation for which participants could no longer decline (perceive an undue inducement) were $50,000 for family/friends, and $100,000 for strangers; respondents reporting $0 for family/friends (44%) or strangers (23%) were excluded from analysis. The two most preferred forms of compensation included: direct payment of money (61%) and paid leave (21%). The two most preferred uses of compensation included: paying off debt (38%) and paying nonmedical expenses associated with the transplant (29%). Findings suggest tolerance for, but little practical impact of, financial compensation. Certain compensation amounts could motivate the public to donate without being perceived as an undue inducement.

Impact of gender and professional education on attitudes towards financial incentives for organ donation: results of a survey among 755 students of medicine and economics in Germany

Background

There is an ongoing expert debate with regard to financial incentives in order to increase organ supply. However, there is a lacuna of empirical studies on whether citizens would actually support financial incentives for organ donation.

Methods

Between October 2008 and February 2009 a quantitative survey was conducted among German students of medicine and economics to gain insights into their point of view regarding living and deceased organ donation and different forms of commercialization (n = 755).

Results

The average (passive) willingness to donate is 63.5% among medical students and 50.0% among students of economics (p = 0.001), while only 24.1% of the respondents were actually holding an organ donor card. 11.3% of students of economics had signed a donor card, however, the number is significantly higher among students of medicine (31.9%, p < 0.001). Women held donor cards significantly more often (28.6%) than men (19.4%, p = 0.004). The majority of students were against direct payments as incentives for deceased and living donations. Nevertheless, 37.5% of the respondents support the idea that the funeral expenses of deceased organ donors should be covered. Women voted significantly less often for the coverage of expenses than men (women 31.6%, men 44.0%, p = 0.003). The number of those in favor of allowing to sell one’s organs for money (living organ donation) was highest among students of economics (p = 0.034).

Conclusion

Despite a generally positive view on organ donation the respondents refuse to consent to commercialization, but are in favor of removing disincentives or are in favor of indirect models of reward.

Policy perspectives: international survey of nephrologists' perceptions of and attitudes towards rewards and compensation for kidney donation

The challenge to resolve the gap between supply and demand for organs is a global phenomenon. The possible solutions can invariably involve a range of ethical and moral dilemmas. This is certainly the case when considering rewards and compensation for kidney donation. In their thought provoking study, Ghahramami et al. provide the perspectives of medical professionals on these issues. The views of nephrologists concerning rewards and compensation chime with views of the public, which have been highlighted in many previous studies. Rewards and compensation for organ donation are perceived, by some, as barriers to successful organ donation transplant programmes; whereas others view them as potential facilitators to increasing organ donation rates. It is interesting to note that two-thirds of survey respondents believe that introducing some kind of reward or offering compensation would lead to an increase in organ donation. This finding is not unique to this study and is evident in many public surveys where respondents have expressed a belief that offering some form of incentive would have a positive impact on organ donation rates. Disappointingly, the debates concerning the type of reward or compensation and its potential impact on donation rates continue to take place in a relatively 'evidence base-free' vacuum. What is abundantly clear is that many lives continue to be lost in many countries due to a lack of suitable organs for transplant. What is less clear is which forms of reward and compensation actually have an impact on donation rates and whether they positively impact the life experiences of donors, recipients and their families. This level of evidence- base is urgently required.

Public attitudes to financial incentive models for organs: a literature review suggests that it is time to shift the focus from 'financial incentives' to 'reciprocity'

Waiting lists for organs have stimulated interest in the use of financial incentives for organ donation (FIs), but the literature does not contain an adequate overview of studies of public attitudes toward this mode of procurement. We conducted a literature review of international peer-reviewed research published between 2002 and 2012 on how members of the public position themselves toward FIs. We identified and analyzed 23 studies using MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Sociological Abstracts and cross-reference search. The search included whole organs, donation, quantitative and empirical qualitative social scientific studies on, public attitudes (excluding professionals and medical students). The review reveals a broad divergence of public opinions on financial incentives. However, quantitative studies showed a low overall level of acceptance of payment for organs in living donation (LD); only a slightly higher one for deceased donation (DD); and a general preference for alternative forms, such as removal of disincentives or expressions of social reciprocity. Across different national and methodological settings we observed a considerable preference of noncommercial forms. This does not preclude the opportunity to consider various types of acknowledgement of economic value given in return for the organ. This provides reason to shift the focus from incentives to reciprocity.

Attitudes toward strategies to increase organ donation: views of the general public and health professionals

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The acceptability of financial incentives for organ donation is contentious. This study sought to determine (1) the acceptability of expense reimbursement or financial incentives by the general public, health professionals involved with organ donation and transplantation, and those with or affected by kidney disease and (2) for the public, whether financial incentives would alter their willingness to consider donation.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS

Web-based survey administered to members of the Canadian public, health professionals, and people with or affected by kidney disease asking questions regarding acceptability of strategies to increase living and deceased kidney donation and willingness to donate a kidney under various financial incentives.

RESULTS

Responses were collected from 2004 members of the Canadian public October 11-18, 2011; responses from health professionals (n=339) and people with or affected by kidney disease (n=268) were collected during a 4-week period commencing October 11, 2011. Acceptability of one or more financial incentives to increase deceased and living donation was noted in >70% and 40% of all groups, respectively. Support for monetary payment for living donors was 45%, 14%, and 27% for the public, health professionals, and people with or affected by kidney disease, respectively. Overall, reimbursement of funeral expenses for deceased donors and a tax break for living donors were the most acceptable.

CONCLUSION

The general public views regulated financial incentives for living and deceased donation to be acceptable. Future research needs to examine the impact of financial incentives on rates of deceased and living donors.

In defense of a regulated system of compensation for living donation

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The organ shortage is the major problem in kidney transplantation today. Despite aggressive organ procurement efforts, the supply of donated kidneys, living and deceased, has not matched the growing demand; as a consequence, more and more qualified candidates are suffering on dialysis and then dying before being transplanted. Herein, we provide justification for a regulated system of compensation for donation.

RECENT FINDINGS

The main argument in favor of compensation is simple-financial incentives will increase donation, so fewer transplant candidates will suffer and die while waiting. In addition, development of a regulated system of compensation is the most effective means of crippling the core economic support for transplant tourism. Because dialysis is so much more expensive than a transplant, compensated donation could be cost-neutral to the healthcare system. Importantly, opinion polls suggest that the public would support compensation. As uncompensated kidney donation is widely accepted, persuasive arguments against compensation must explain why such a system would be morally distinguishable from uncompensated donation.

SUMMARY

We suggest that the potential advantages of a regulated system of compensation for donation far outweigh any potential disadvantages. It is time to advocate for a change in the law so that trials can be done.

The bioethics and utility of selling kidneys for renal transplantation

In the 53 years since kidney transplantation was first performed, this procedure has evolved from a highly speculative biomedical endeavor to a medically viable and often standard course of therapy. Long-term survival is markedly improved among patients who receive a kidney compared with patients who remain on the waiting list for such an organ. As outcomes have improved and more clinical indications have emerged, the number of people awaiting transplantation has grown significantly. In stark contrast to the robust expansion of the waiting list, the number of available deceased donors has remained relatively constant over the last several years. The current mechanism for procuring kidneys relies on voluntary donations by the general public, with the primary motivation being altruism. However, in light of the ever-increasing waiting list, it is the researchers' belief that the current system needs to be revised if supply is ever going to meet demand. In response to this critical organ shortage, different programs have been developed in an attempt to increase organ donation. At present, however, no solution to the problem has emerged. This report begins by outlining the scope of the problem and current legislation governing the procurement of transplantable organs/tissues in the United States. It continues with an overview of different proposals to increase supply. It concludes by exploring some of the controversy surrounding the proposal to increase donation using financial incentives. Though the following discussion certainly has implications for other transplantable organs, this report focuses on kidney transplantation because the waiting list for kidneys is by far the longest of all waiting lists for solid organs; and, as kidney transplant carries the smallest risk to living donors, it is the least ethically problematic.

O processo de decisão familiar na doação de órgãos do filho: uma teoria substantiva

Objetivamos compreender o processo de decisão familiar sobre a doação de órgãos do filho considerado doador potencial; identificar os significados que a família atribui à experiência e construir uma teoria substantiva representativa desta experiência. Para tanto, utilizamos o Interacionismo Simbólico e a Teoria Fundamentada nos Dados. Foram entrevistadas treze famílias cuja morte do filho ocorreu entre janeiro de 2004 a dezembro 2005, selecionadas em banco de dados, de uma Organização de Procura de Órgãos de São Paulo. Após análise comparativa dos dados construímos a teoria substantiva Tentando Minimizar a Dor e Aliviar o Sofrimento composta por: "Vivendo o impacto da tragédia", "Trabalhando com as incertezas da morte encefálica", "Manejando o problema da decisão" e "Reconstruindo a história da morte da criança". O tempo que a família dispõe para se dar conta da realidade da morte da criança é determinante na sua disposição de considerar a doação de órgãos do filho.

Public attitudes toward incentives for organ donation: a national study of different racial/ethnic and income groups

Attitudes toward monetary and nonmonetary incentives for living (LD) and deceased donation (DD) among the U.S. general public and different racial/ethnic and income groups have not been systematically studied. We studied attitudes via a telephone questionnaire administered to persons aged 18-75 in the continental United States. Among 845 participants (85% of randomized households), less than one-fifth participants were in favor of incentives for DD (range 7-17%). Most persons were in favor of reimbursement of medical costs (91%), paid leave (84%) and priority on the waiting list (59%) for LD. African Americans and Hispanics were more likely than Whites to be in favor of some incentives for DD. African Americans were more likely than Whites to be in favor of monetary incentives for LD. Whites with incomes less than $20 000 were more likely than Whites with greater incomes to be in favor of reimbursement for deceased donors' funeral expenses or medical expenses. The U.S. public is not generally supportive of incentives for DD, but is supportive of limited incentives for LD. Racial/ethnic minorities are more supportive than Whites of some incentives. Persons with low income may be more accepting of certain monetary incentives.