DICG - TTS Ethics Committee Presentation

Ethics and the Burden of Proof:
How Investigative Journalism, Professional Societies and Clinicians Respond to Suspected Organ Trafficking

November 4, 2025

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this webinar are those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily represent the positions of The Transplantation Society (TTS) or the Declaration of Istanbul Custodian Group (DICG). TTS and the DICG emphasize that physicians should familiarize themselves with their own institution’s and country’s policies, regulations, and legal requirements regarding the reporting of patients who are known or suspected to have obtained an organ through illegal or unethical means. Given that legal frameworks and reporting obligations differ across jurisdictions, TTS and the DICG recommend that healthcare professionals consult with their institutional leadership or legal counsel to understand their responsibilities. If there is no clear infrastructure or established process for reporting within your country or institution, you are encouraged to contact the DICG for guidance and support.
Tuesday, November 4, 2025 - 07:00 AM (Local time in Montreal)
Local time (Corresponding local time at your current location)
The duration of this presentation is scheduled for 60 minutes.

Overview

This webinar will explore the critical role of investigative journalism, professional societies and clinicians in responding to suspected unethical and illegal organ transplantation practices. Organ trafficking, transplant tourism, and commercialization remain pressing global issues despite growing regulatory frameworks. Overall, suspicious cases are underreported by health care professionals. Also, police and legal responses are often slow and ineffective and this webinar will explore how various stakeholders can collaborate to ensure we maximize all efforts to respond to suspected organ trafficking timeously and effectively.

Participants will gain insight into how various stakeholders can coordinate and respond in order to best ensure ethical standards and human rights are maintained in donation and transplantation globally. The session will feature real-world perspectives from a clinician perspective, an investigative journalism perspective and professional society perspectives to demonstrate various responses to empower webinar attendees.

Objectives

  • Describe the responses possible from investigative journalists, international and national transplant associations and clinicians on the ground in responding to suspected unethical or illegal organ transplantation activity.
  • Discuss: Using lived experiences of the presenters and expert panel to help clinicians, administrators, professional societies and investigative journalists to better respond to suspected cases of organ trafficking.
  • Empower webinar attendees with knowledge of what can be mobilized and leveraged to ethically navigate suspected organ trafficking.
TTS Ethics Committee Chair
David Thomson, South Africa  
Moderator
Bio
Co-Chair Declaration of Istanbul Custodian Group
Maria Matamoros, Costa Rica 
Moderator
Bio
Co-Chair Declaration of Istanbul Custodian Group
Thomas Mueller, Switzerland
Speaker
Bio
TTS President
John J. Fung, United States 
Panelist
Bio
TTS Past-President
Jeremy R. Chapman, Australia 
Panelist
Bio
Past Chair Declaration of Istanbul Custodian Group
Sanjay Nagral, India 
Panelist
Bio

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Contact

Staff Directory
+1-514-874-1717
info@tts.org

Address

The Transplantation Society
International Headquarters
740 Notre-Dame Ouest
Suite 1245
Montréal, QC, H3C 3X6
Canada

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