Drew Carey on (the market for) vital organs

Another episode of ReasonTV, devoted to the market for vital organs-- as it's been distorted by government's prohibition and results in shortages, and thus, death.

(See also: Drew Carey on medical marijuana, government provision of roads, eminent domain, the middle class, and inner-city education-- as well as The Onion's spoof on vital organs.)

The kidney donor featured in the intro is Virginia Postrel-- the former editor of Reason and an author of many books.

From Reason's press release:

Today, over 74,000 people are on the United Network for Organ Sharing’s national waiting list, hoping they’ll get the new kidneys they need. In 2007, over 4,300 people on that list died waiting.

With the list getting longer every day, a new Reason.tv Drew Carey video looks at how we can help increase the number of organ donors before it’s too late. One possible solution: allow healthy adults to voluntarily sell their organs.

"There’s one thing we can’t try because it’s illegal,” Drew Carey says on the Reason.tv video. “Stay with me…paying people to donate their kidneys. I know - it sounds really ghoulish. It sounds really icky. But they’re your kidneys. And it really helps people in need. So if you want to sell one, why not?”

The only people who do not benefit financially from the exchange of vital organs-- are, ironically, those who supply the organ. Carey also explains how it would help taxpayers-- since new kidneys are cheaper than ongoing dialysis .