Houston 1

Mackenzie Houston
Connie Douglas
ENG 112
The Failure towards the Organ Shortage
Imagine that a loved one or someone in your family was in need of a new organ.
Someone who is dying of heart failure would consider having a heart transplant. There are many
things to take into consideration while deciding whether they should or shall not receive a new
heart. Then, on the other hand, the person in need of a new heart may get placed at the bottom of
the list, where one may never have the same quality of life. There are over eighteen people who
die every day waiting for an organ transplant, that is simply because the of the organ shortage.
Boosting organ donation rates is the key to reducing the number of people who die waiting for an
organ.
Organ donation is the process of giving up an organ for the purpose of transplantation to
another person. For someone who would like to become and organ donor, they have to have
adequate blood flow and oxygen through their organs. There are several different types of
donations they are not just the commonly known organs such as the heart, lungs, liver or
pancreas. Since medicine is always a progressing field, organ transplantations are technologically
advancing. For example, better surgical techniques and improved anti-rejection drugs have meant
that many more people could benefit from organ transplants. The problem with that is the
medicine is not available. There is a long process to consider before someone can receive a
transplant, this is very demeaning towards increasing the organ shortage. Before one can
perform an organ transplantation surgery they must consider body size, blood type, medical
urgency or how one is placed on the waiting list, and geographical proximity.
The organ shortage is a very serious problem that America is faced with in todays time.
The problem with the organ shortage is that it is only increasing and there is a greater demand
increasing on the wait list. There are many incentives and beneficiary factors to the organ

Houston 2
shortage such as costs regarding the black market. The beneficiary factor would be to make the
market regarding selling legal organs and put a tax on the sale of those organs. Another incentive
is beneficiary finical factors to pay or lower the cost to the citizens who renew their license and
sign up as an organ donor.
There is a variety of different ways to become an organ donor. With only a click of a
button they can sign up in less than two minutes. First one must sign their drivers license or
non-driver identification. Next, they must enroll in their states organ/tissue donor registry. If they
feel like they should want their family or loved ones to know, talk with them privately about how
they would like to become an organ donor. Becoming an organ donor is a very important
decision, so let their family understand their wishes. It is always a heroic and noble decision to
pass along ones organs after they are gone.
The idea towards increasing the organ shortage is to educate what exactly organ donation
implies. Many people in todays time are uneducated on what organ donation actually implies.
People think that doctors will rip ones organs out before theyre pronounced dead. There are
many neurological test that are ran before they are actually taken back into the operating room to
remove their organs. The doctors help save the patient who is an organ donor over who is not,
because they have to keep those organs viable for transplantation. It is very unethical to not do
everything in their power to let the blood flow and oxygen flowing if the patient is an organ
donor.
In an article recently published by Edward Poots, He states that, organ donation is the key
to solving the organ shortage. The reason why the numbers are reducing is because nobody
wants to donate. There is an increasing supply of people waiting for a transplant and all we have
to do is make sure we are signing and completing the registry. For example, Poots states, It may
seem appropriate to say that solving the organ shortage is a straightforward health care issue that
can be tackled by all if us, as potential donors and next of kin, ensuring that more organs are

Houston 3
donated. In this view, since the overwhelming majority of the public are in favor of organ
donation, to improve donor rates we could work on educating the public to increase the numbers
with donor cards and to encourage discussion within families, and, given the high percentage in
favor of donation. (Poots). A problem that some families are placed with is that even though the
person could have been an organ donor, they did not consult with their family, and therefore the
family refuses to let their loved one donate. Sometimes families can decline if they want their
loved one to donate and they can sign a do not resuscitate legal documentation, which means the
organs will not be viable for transplantation.
Organ donation is a straightforward question one may be asked in their life time. The
answer is always up to them but if they have the right and freedom to make the heroic decision to
donate. The key to increasing the organ shortage is to reduce the number of people who die every
day waiting for them. The idea behind increasing the number of organ donors is to create finical
incentives to the people who are available to register as an organ donor. Another incentive would
to tax organs and make the selling of organs legal. The best way to boost the number of organ
donors is to educate everyone on what organ donation implies. Make it clear to that organ
donation is going to help save someone not hurt them. The only way that someone can make a
difference in their lives is to pass on their legacy. Pass on their organs to save someones life.
Thats what a true hero is, someone who is brave enough to sign that donor's card. Be brave, help
someone on how to save a life by signing up as an organ donor.

Houston 4

Works Cited
Alexander Tabarrok, "Life-Saving Incentives: Consequences, Costs and Solutions to the
Organ Shortage." August 3, 2009. Library of Economics and Liberty. 2 February 2016.
<http://www.econlib.org/library/Columns/y2009/Tabarroklifesaving.html>.
Harter, Thomas D. "Overcoming the Organ Shortage: Failing Means and Radical
Reform." HEC Forum 20.2 (2008): 155-82. ProQuest. Web. 27 Apr. 20