Should states be permitted to pay their citizens for donating organs?

Federal law currently says no, or appears to say no, and it provides for criminal penalties for a violation of the law. So well-meaning states like Pennsylvania that want to pay burial expenses for organ donors have a hard time convincing state employees and funeral homes to pay or receive the benefit. Sen. Arlen Specter is poised to introduce a bill that would give states fairly broad authority to pay donors or presumably donors’ families in the case of cadaveric donation. You can read all about it over on my HealthLawBlog.