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Tuesday, September 3, 2002 Press Release SOURCE: LifeSharers Professor Alexander Tabarrok Named Advisor to LifeSharersIndependent Institute Research Director to Assist Preferred Access Organ Donors Network NASHVILLE, Tenn. – September 3, 2002 – Alexander Tabarrok, Associate Professor of Economics at George Mason University and Research Director at The Independent Institute, has agreed to serve as an advisor to LifeSharers. LifeSharers is a non-profit network of organ and tissue donors that offers members preferred access to the organs of fellow members. It was launched this year to help alleviate the shortage of human organs and tissue needed for transplant operations. That shortage kills over 6,000 Americans every year. “To end the shortage of human organs, and to save the thousands of people who die because of it, we need to rethink the moral basis of organ collection and donation.” says Professor Tabarrok. He is editor of Entrepreneurial Economics: Bright Ideas from the Dismal Science, a new book that contains two articles on the organ shortage, and a regular contributor to scholarly journals, magazines, and newspapers. “Agreeing to donate your organs when you no longer need them should be a prerequisite for getting an organ if you ever need one. Why should someone who is not willing to give an organ be allowed to get one?” he asks. According to David J. Undis, Executive Director of LifeSharers, “It makes sense to give organ donors preferred access to organs. It encourages people to become donors, and that saves lives.” LifeSharers agree to donate their organs and tissue when they die, but only to other members of the LifeSharers network (unless no member is a suitable match). By giving fellow members preferred access to their organs, LifeSharers members reward organ donors and create an incentive for others to become donors. There has been a shortage of organs ever since the first transplant operations and the shortage is getting worse every year. According to statistics compiled by the United Network for Organ Sharing, almost 85,000 Americans are now on a waiting list for an organ transplant, and another name gets added to the list about every 14 minutes. About half the people on the waiting list will die before they receive an organ. Somebody on the waiting list dies about every two hours. “It’s hard to argue with the notion that those who are willing to give should be the first to receive,” says Professor Tabarrok. “LifeSharers makes this idea a reality, and I’m excited to help. If enough people join LifeSharers, we could even have a surplus of organs,” he adds. “Professor Tabarrok’s assistance will help us attract members faster, reduce the organ shortage faster, and save lives,” says Mr. Undis. LifeSharers membership is free and open to all at www.lifesharers.org. ABOUT ALEXANDER TABARROK Alexander Tabarrok is Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at George Mason University, and Research Director at The Independent Institute. Complete biographical information on Professor Tabarrok is available at http://www.independent.org/tii/tii_info/bios/atabarrok.html About LifeSharers LifeSharers is a non-profit network of organ and tissue donors. Members agree to donate their organs when they die. They direct their donation to other members of the LifeSharers network, unless no member is a suitable match. By directing their gifts in this way, LifeSharers members create an incentive for others to donate their organs. LifeSharers was launched on May 22, 2002. The LifeSharers web site is at www.lifesharers.org Contact:
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