It's funny ~ I've never even considered being compensated. The idealist in me would like to think that the average eligible donor would participate because it's the right thing to do, but I suppose that attitude is why the registry isn't what it could be. Then again, with the promise of payment, what kind of people would be attracted? The kind that would be at a higher risk of backing out last minute (which is very dangerous for the patient)? I don't know...I'm just thinking out loud here, trying to figure out if compensation would deal some unpleasant unintended consequences.
Back when we signed up ~ about 16 years ago ~ we had to pay to be typed and registered. At that time, it was $45 per person. I don't know what it is now, or if people have to pay at all, but you can imagine how many of our friends and family responded with "Oh, hell no..." to our friendly requests to register. (And some of them could have easily coughed up the cash.
We were pretty surprised.)As for the government, I cannot figure that out. It seems bone marrow donation is not that unlike whole blood, red cell, and platelets in terms of renewability.
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