This paper investigates the impact of monetary incentives on whole blood donations. The analysis
is based on a uniquely large database containing virtually all voluntary whole blood donations in
South-West Germany from 2005 through 2009. The sample comprises several donation sites that
offer (do not offer) monetary compensation. We take advantage of a natural experiment caused by
the abolishment of monetary compensation at one of the donation sites. We find a sharp decrease in
blood donations after the pay drop with several donors switching to a geographically close donation
site that still offers monetary compensation. Our results cast doubt on the notion that monetary
incentives crowd out intrinsic motivations to donate blood. Rather, they suggest that monetary
incentives increase blood supply which can help to meet increasing transfusion demand due to
demographic change.
Dieser Eintrag ist Teil der Universitätsbibliographie.
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