Survey of economists concerning Living-Donor Kidney Transplants


            
        May 27, 2026
    
    
Survey of economists concerning Living-Donor Kidney Transplants


        Al Roth's always interesting blog (https://marketdesigner.blogspot.com/) has this entry today.[Go to Al's blog to see the details]
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
Survey of economists concerning Living-Donor Kidney Transplants
Romesh Vaitilingam writes to draw my attention to the recent survey of economists concerning Living-Donor Kidney Transplants, conducted by the Clark Center for Global Markets at Chicago Booth.  He says 
" I’m writing now as I thought you might be interested in the results of this survey, which was inspired by reading your recent Wash Post column."*
Below are the three questions they asked, and the results to each one. At the survey link above you can find the responses of the individual economists surveyed.
Only one economist appeared to be skeptical about kidney exchange, and I was surprised at who it was (respondents may answer these questions very quickly...).
The next question concerns the End Kidney Deaths Act, which was introduced to the respondents at these links:
"There is draft legislation in Congress to increase the supply of human kidneys by encouraging donations to strangers: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2687
"It is summarized here: https://www.hawaiibusiness.com/bipartisan-bill-aims-to-prevent-kidney-deaths-by-compensating-donors/ "
The End Kidney Deaths Act gets a good deal of support (above) while an unspecified decentralized market gets considerably less support, below.
*Earlier posts
Friday, May 8, 2026 It’s time to carefully but urgently rethink payments to kidney donors. My op-ed in the Washington Post
    

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                                    Tim Mullen
                                
                            
                        May 27, 2026, evening
                    
                
        Frank, thanks for sharing the survey results.  I don't know if surveying three individuals passes a validity check.
Also, I'm interested in a survey that would provide insight into "would the tax incentive truly increase the amount of altruistic donors in the first place?  The financial case assumes no one will come forward without the tax incentive.  If there is no increase in donors this just adds costs we don't currently incur.  If it results in additional donors, don't all the altruistic donors get paid?  Thanks for your efforts.  I donated altruistically 2 years ago and would do it again if I had another spare!!
        
            
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                                    Frank McCormick
                                
                            
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                        May 31, 2026, evening
                    
                
        Tim,
Compensation works in all other markets, so it would likely work for kidneys.  Here is something I recently wrote:
If anyone doubts that government price controls are the cause of the kidney shortage, and ending the controls would end the shortage, consider the market for blood plasma — the components of blood vital for 18 different life-saving procedures.  Most countries have the same policy toward plasma donors that they have toward kidney donors; they do not allow them to be compensated.  Consequently, they have the same drastic shortage of plasma that they have of kidneys.
However, a few countries, including the U.S., allow plasma donors to be paid, and consequently these countries do not have a shortage of plasma.   Indeed, these countries  produce enough plasma not only for their own needs, but also for the needs of the countries that prohibit payment.  The latter are saved from the consequences of their own poor policies by other countries whose policies benefit themselves and others.
Thank you for your altruistic donation!  Unfortunately there are not nearly enough people like you.
Frank
        
            
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