Incentives, incentives, incentives...

I was fascinated when I first read freakonomics about the unintended consequences that setting incentives might generate. Their first chapter in particular makes a dramatic case describing the story of a babycare center in Israel that faces issues with parents showing up late to pick the kids up, and after implementing a "negative incentive" (a fine), the found [shock!] that the number of parents arriving late to pick their kids up increased rather than decreasing.

Now, fresh from the freakonomics blog (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYVTsxJssjk ) .. do incentives make sense for organ donors.

A couple of considerations.

Is the altruistic aspect of an organ donation contaminated if prisoners get an incentive (like shorter time in prison) if they commit to donate their organs once the die?

or an even bigger case...

If younger patients in need of an organ transfer get prioritized higher in the list of recipients (one can argue they will use the organ for a longer time)... is this action implicitly stating that the "value" of the life of older potential recipients is lower?

have a look... a fascinating case.