Tax Break for Organ Donors?

[Jade Margery]

I do not believe there should be. I don't feel that we should offer incentive such as that to people for organ donation - they used to do the same with reduced driver's license fees and the like, which was an analogous situation - people should do as they feel is right, not because of money (even taxes after death).

Although I agree with you about the 'should', I have to admit that if I needed an organ, I really wouldn't care if the donor provided it out of altruism or greed.

 

[Fenny the Fox]

Although I agree with you about the 'should', I have to admit that if I needed an organ, I really wouldn't care if the donor provided it out of altruism or greed.

Well, granted, nor would I, to be honest, were I to ever get a transplant.

But, I am of the odd sort that, while I am an organ donor and hope to help people in that way even after I die (assuming they are able to salvage much of anything...), I also am not certain that I would be willing to accept an organ donation. I would feel that another, healthier (other than that organ) person is likely able to get it by me denying it. Since i am not in the best of health already, if I were to reach the point of needing a transplant, I would be weary of doing so only to live a slightly extended life at the cost of another person being able to live a much better one (maybe even a much longer one).

 

[TLK Valentine]

Since it is blood, not body parts, that they are buying, I'm not sure what your point is.

Since when is blood not a part of your body? Where is the logic behind the government legislating that you can sell X that comes out of your body, but not Y? (Although, you can sell Y, but only to the government itself).

Actually I guess it's technically plasma that they buy, not blood. I knew a couple of guys who would sell their plasma every now and then, because they could eat for two weeks on one sale.

Were they selling it to the government or to a government run institution?

I wasn't claiming that not selling organs is a cornerstone of our society.

Neither was I -- but for all the praise I often hear of the free market, why get squeamish now?

Which is why I was suggesting a tax break for donors.

But if I can make this much profit from selling my organs to the government (which, let's face it, is what a tax break boils down to -- profit), why shouldn't I be allowed to shop around for a better offer?