Public Opinion on Organ Conscription and Free Riding: Results from a Norwegian Survey

Abstract

Shortage of organs for transplantation leads to reduced quality of life and premature deaths among patients on waiting lists. One proposed policy response is the conscription of cadaveric organs, whereby all suitable organs are retrieved after death. Another proposal is to restrict access to transplantation for patients who have not themselves consented to donate. The ethical acceptability of both policies remains contested, and empirical evidence on public opinion is limited. Previous surveys suggest low support for conscription. We conducted a national survey of adults in Norway (N = 1000) to investigate public attitudes towards the badness of death (reported elsewhere), the conscription of organs for transplantation, and reciprocity, understood as the acceptance to be a potential donor as necessary for being a potential recipient of organs if in need. This last question did not elicit conclusive responses. It did, however, show a correlation between responses supportive of reciprocity (i.e., against free riding) and those supportive of conscription. The results suggest a slight majority in favor of conscription in Norway. Our survey shows that belief in an afterlife corresponds negatively with acceptance of conscription, but no other demographic data are influential.

Keywords: Conscription of organs; Free riding; Public opinion; Reciprocity; Solidarity.