Around the world, organ donation policies vary greatly. Is it best to have a donation system where people have to opt in or opt out?
In the India, a new patient is added to the waiting list for an organ transplant every 10 minutes.
With an opt-in system, people have to actively sign up to a register to donate their organs after death. In opt-out systems, organ donation will occur automatically unless a specific request is made before death for organs not to be taken.
“People may not act for numerous reasons, including loss aversion, effort, and believing that the policy makers have made the ‘right’ decision and one that they believe in.”
However, inaction in an opt-in system can lead to individuals who would want to be a donor not donating (a false negative). In contrast, inaction in an opt-out system can potentially lead to an individual that does not want to donate becoming a donor (a false positive).
