Effects of Eliminating Government Controls on Supply (organ donation) I was having a discussion with somebody about organ transplants.   I gave the free market pov that allowing the sale of organs would greatly increase the supply, and the all-in price would come down greatly if everybody knew that they (or their heirs) could profit by making their organs available (it might even encourage a few people to adopt a healthier lifestyle in order to not destroy a valuable asset, and maybe encourage businesses - like financial middlemen - to get into the game).
The person I was discussing with agreed with the argument -- in theory -- but countered that it was unfair that a rich person would have a better opportunity to get a transplant and that, indeed, a poor person's best (and maybe only) chance was to use the current lottery system.
My question -- does anybody know an example of something analogous to human organs whose supply was controlled, whose cost was extremely high and supply very low, and then became available on the market and as a result became readily available because of increased supply and/or lower price?  My one possible answer is the abolition of rent controls.  I was hoping for an example that was more understandable to my friend.  Perhaps certain items that were, by law, exclusively available to the aristocracy in the past, and that later became something that everybody was able to afford.
The Iranian organ market
It might be worth looking into the organ market in Iran. Unlike in other countries, it is legal to sell your kidney to patients who need a new one. The process is regulated and charities actively help pay for patients who cannot afford to pay the donor themselves.
The result is that a kidney, which would cost more than $100.000 on the global black market can be bought for a few thousands of dollars. This also highlights an overlooked problem with the concern that a free market would put rich people in front of the line. The fact is that very rich people can always find a way to acquire the goods they want. If they do it illegally, they can hire expert lawyers to get them out of trouble.
The example of Iran shows that allowing people to sell their organs for profit will lower the barrier to entry to the point where middle class people could conceivably afford one. It also becomes possible for charities to afford to buy organs for the poor. This would not be possible if they were to pay the black market price or wait indefinitely to win the waiting-list lottery.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kidney_trade_in_Iran