Experimental market design for altruistic supply

Many scarce resources depend on altruistic supply, notably blood and organ donations, which are crucial to healthcare systems globally. This article reviews the representative experimental literature on blood and organ donations, emphasising market design interventions to enhance donation rates and address chronic shortages. It focuses on two key aspects of market design to enhance voluntary organ donation: the default organ donation policy and the priority rule for organ allocation. It also discusses various approaches to boost blood donations, such as financial incentives, information campaigns, and social interventions. Insights learnt from these studies can aid policy design by improving existing systems, institutions, and mechanisms. This facilitates the creation and development of new policies, potentially reducing healthcare costs and saving lives.