What Transplantation Can Teach Us about Health Care Reform

Organ transplantation has been targeted for elimination or reduction in many proposed schemes of health care reform13. Although recent figures suggest a dramatic increase in cost effectiveness,4 transplantation is expensive and its exclusion is defended in the name of justice. This is ironic, because no part of the health care system has done more to resolve questions of justice than transplantation. As we try to reform health care, much may be learned from our experience in this area.Dealing with ScarcityIn response to the limited supply of organs, the transplantation system has developed fair and efficient principles . . .