Does implementing opt-out solve the organ shortage problem? Evidence from a synthetic control approach

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

In light of the persistent shortage of organ donations needed to save precious human lives, several countries have modified their organ donation laws by introducing an opt-out system, making every deceased a potential organ donor unless the person has objected. This study examines the impact of adopting opt-out on organ donation rates. Using a panel dataset covering a 21-year period, I apply a synthetic control approach to focus on countries that changed their prevailing organ donation legislation from opt-in to opt-out. I compare them to a synthetic counterfactual from countries that have kept their legislation the same since 1999. Synthetic control estimates show that Argentina and Wales achieved substantially higher organ donation rates with the shift from an opt-in to an opt-out system than without the reform taking place. My findings suggest that as one strategy among others, implementing opt-out cannot solve the organ shortage problem entirely but effectively contributes to reducing it considerably.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)541–560
Number of pages20
JournalEuropean Journal of Health Economics
Volume26
Issue number4
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2025
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 85204455363
ORCID /0009-0003-9900-4289/work/215165482

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

Keywords

  • Informed consent, Opt-in, Opt-out, Organ donation, Presumed consent, Synthetic control method