title: Role of the independent donor advocacy team in ethical decision making.
abstract: Adult living donor liver transplantation has developed as a direct result of the critical shortage of deceased donors. Recent regulations passed by New York State require transplant programs to appoint an Independent Donor Advocacy Team to evaluate, educate, and consent to all potential living liver donors. Ethical issues surround the composition of the team, who appoints them, and the role the team plays in the process. Critics of living liver donation have questioned issues surrounding motivation and the ability of donors to provide true informed consent during a time of family crisis. This article will address issues surrounding the controversies and discuss how using the team can effectively evaluate and educate potential living liver donors and improve practice to ensure safety of living donors.
authors.affiliation: New York Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Dianne LaPointe
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Rudow
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration; D003657:Decision Making / Q000941:ethics*; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000193:education / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D019520:Living Donors / Q000193:education / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D009518:New York; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000941:ethics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D028701:Patient Rights / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D018579:Patient Selection; D024382:Professional Role; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000941:ethics* / Q000458:organization & administration