Combatting the Organ Deficit

Since its beginning in 1954 organ transplantation has become the leading life-saving treatment worldwide for end-stage organ failure. In the past few decades organ transplantation has become so successful that now the number of people in need of a life-saving organ vastly outnumbers the supply of organs available. If this deficit remains unaddressed the number of people that die each day due to organ failure will increase exponentially. Fortunately, this is a problem that can be solved from many angles. This paper will present possible solutions to the organ crisis by examining the possible positive effects of implementing a mandated choice model for donor registration as well as an incentivized living organ donation program in the United States. Tissue engineering and blastocyst complementation will also be investigated as possible avenues by which the organ deficit can be reduced.