Organic Market
15 May 2006
Editor, The Wall Street Journal
200 Liberty Street
New York, NY 10281
Dear Editor:
Bravo for Richard Epstein's case for greater reliance on markets to supply kidneys for transplant ("Kidney Beancounters," May 15).
And while he's correct that saving lives should trump the aesthetics provided by altruists who today donate their kidneys, it isn't clear that allowing donors to be paid for their kidneys will diminish such altruism. Today the altruistic donor sacrifices only a kidney. In a regime in which the altruistic donor could receive money for his kidney, he sacrifices a kidney and money. If opportunities to sacrifice spur altruists into action, then a freer market in kidneys will raise, not lower, the number of kidneys donated free of charge.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
Editor, The Wall Street Journal
200 Liberty Street
New York, NY 10281
Dear Editor:
Bravo for Richard Epstein's case for greater reliance on markets to supply kidneys for transplant ("Kidney Beancounters," May 15).
And while he's correct that saving lives should trump the aesthetics provided by altruists who today donate their kidneys, it isn't clear that allowing donors to be paid for their kidneys will diminish such altruism. Today the altruistic donor sacrifices only a kidney. In a regime in which the altruistic donor could receive money for his kidney, he sacrifices a kidney and money. If opportunities to sacrifice spur altruists into action, then a freer market in kidneys will raise, not lower, the number of kidneys donated free of charge.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
Posted by Don Boudreaux on
Wednesday February 28, 2007 at 8:32pm