In the world of medicine, there have been many new discoveries and innovations. Yet it seems the government is focusing on the wrong issues. A major issue concerns organ donations, and there is always a recurring question; should the donor’s family be compensated? Each patient unfortunately becomes an insignificant statistic who joins the lines of desperate patients lining up on the organ transplant list. The scarcity of transplant organs in the United States is attributed to many reasons: families' refusal to approve donation after the donor's death, even if the patient wanted it; religious objections; the reluctance of medical staff to approach families after death; and the dishonesty of the medical system. The need for organs far exceeds the number of organ donations, the dilemma becomes obvious: should organ donors and/or their families be financially compensated? For those who lack healthy organs, organ donations can save their lives. Even though the situation is difficult, there is a shortage of essential organs; the Mayo Clinic notes: “More than 101,000 people are waiting for a transplant today. » The clinic goes on to say that while every day 77 people receive an organ transplant, nineteen die while waiting for a transplant. Those waiting for a transplant could probably be saved with a larger pool of organ donations. Many proposals have been made to increase the number of organ donors in the United States, ranging from presumed consent to financial incentives for organ donation. The latter solution, financial incentives, is a common suggestion that causes much controversy. While some argue that financial incentives could save lives, others argue that paying for organs will erode altruism and lead to... middle of article ...... Social Bioethical Issues, 11th ed., “Should There Be a Body Parts Market?” YES: J. Radcliffe-Richards, et al., from “The Case for Allowing Kidney Sales,” The Lancet (June 27, 1998) NO: David J. Rothman, from “The International Organ Traffic,” The New York Review of Books (March 26, 1998) “Death and Mortality.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. May 15, 2009. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/FASTATS/deaths.htmGrady, Denise and Meier, Barry. “A transplant that raises many questions. » New York Times. June 22, 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/23/business/23liver.html “Transplants in the United States by State.” Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/latestData/rptData.aspUnited Organ Sharing Network. http://unos.orgMayo Clinic. http://www.mayoclinic.com