Ethics Committee

The Ethics Committee aims to guide the policies and practices of the OPTN related to organ donation, procurement, distribution, allocation, and transplantation so they are consistent with ethical principles. The Committee makes recommendations to Board of Directors for changing, creating, or eliminating policies if warranted by ethical concerns. The Committee also provides written guidance pertaining to ethical considerations to OPTN members, after approval by the Board of Directors. The Committee does not address individual patient issues or disputes.

Current projects

Review

Implemented

Committee members

Chair

Dr. Andrew Flescher
University Hospital of State University
of New York at Stony Brook

Vice Chair

Dr. Sanjay Kulkarni
Yale New Haven Hospital

MembersPositionEnd DateOrganization
Andrew FlescherChair6/30/2027University Hospital of State University of New York at Stony Brook
Andrew CourtwrightVisiting Board Member6/30/2027 
Annette NeedhamVisiting Board Member6/30/2028University of California Davis Medical Center
Felicia Wells-WilliamsRegion 6 Representative6/30/2026Legacy of Life Hawaii
Gloria ChenRegion 4 Representative6/30/2028General Public Region 4
Grace Lee-RiddleRegion 2 Representative6/30/2027Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Jennifer DillonRegion 9 Representative6/30/2026General Public Region 9
Joel WuRegion 7 Representative6/30/2028General Public Region 7
Laura JokimakiAt Large6/30/2027Ascension St. John Hospital
Laura Madigan-McCownAt Large6/30/2028General Public Region 1
Lisa PaolilloRegion 1 Representative6/30/2027New England Organ Bank
Lois ShepherdAt Large6/30/2026University of Virginia Health Sciences Center
Matthew WilkinsonRegion 8 Representative6/30/2026St Luke's Hospital of Kansas City
Megan UrbanskiRegion 3 Representative6/30/2026Emory University Hospital
Oluwafisayo AdebiyiRegion 10 Representative6/30/2028Indiana University Health
Robert TruogAt Large6/30/2026General Public Region 1
Sanjay KulkarniVice Chair6/30/2027Yale New Haven Hospital
Sena Wilson-SheehanRegion 5 Representative6/30/2028Mayo Clinic Hospital Arizona
Sheila Nichols BullockRegion 11 Representative6/30/2027General Public Region 11
Date Last Reviewed: