I've been a registered organ donor since my early twenties, and this was during a time when I was poor enough that I had to resort to living on the streets, but

I've been a registered organ donor since my early twenties, and this was during a time when I was poor enough that I had to resort to living on the streets, but the lack of monetary compensation for organ donors is something that kind of bothers me. I understand the reasoning behind such a rule, namely as I understand it, the big one being that compensating people for organs would essentially lead to poor/desperate people being taken advantage of by the wealthy and coerced into donation. Again, I understand the reasoning behind this but something still doesn't feel right about the whole thing to me. Organ transplant is this incredibly complex process with many steps and participants. At each step every one of those participants is compensated with the exception of the donor. The recipient obviously receives a big benefit, the transplant surgeons are well compensated, and I'm sure the anesthesiologists and nurses are as well. I'm sure the hospital and hospital administrators are well compensated as are the medical device manufacturers. If everyone working on the transplant team was there as a volunteer and the surgical room and supplies were donations I wouldn't have a problem but it seems like everyone involved in the process gets their cut except for the donor. I'm very fortunate to have a healthy body and I'm sure my organs could be put to good use for many people if/when I die, and while that is enough reward for me personally, there was a point in my life were a few thousand dollars in compensation for my organs could have done a lot of good if distributed to some of my friends.