Changing the Default for American Cadaveric Organ Donation: An Economic and Ethical Analysis of the Opt-Out System

Abstract

This paper will study the economic and ethical issues involved in changing the current American opt-in societal default for cadaveric organ donation to an opt-out system. First, I will introduce the current opt-in default in the United States, and how the proposed opt-out system would differ. In the second section, I address the economic considerations involved with both systems, including efficiency and waste. Thirdly, I investigate the various ethical concerns an opt-out system faces, including public welfare, personal autonomy, and consent. Lastly, I restate my argument and offer recommendations based on my discussion. With this thesis, I intend to provide a strong economic and ethical defense for changing the American societal default on cadaveric organ donations to an opt-out system.