CBEC faculty with workshop participants at PKLI, Lahore. Dr. Faheem Khan (sitting, left), PGD Alumnus Class of 2014 and a psychiatrist at PKLI, played the central role in organizing this workshop.
Transplant Ethics at Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute
Faheem Khan*
October in Lahore often marks the transition from bright, sunny days to more subdued, overcast skies. It was during this period of seasonal change that CBEC–SIUT conducted a 2 day workshop (2-3 October) on Clinical and Research Ethics at the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute & Research Center (PKLI & RC). PKLI is a public sector institution that provides treatment for kidney and liver-related diseases. In November 2025, it achieved a milestone for successful completion of 1000 liver, and 1100 kidney transplants.
Initially planned for 30 participants, the workshop received 90 applications. Participants eventually selected for the workshop belonged to diverse services, including Liver, Kidney, and Bone Marrow Transplant Services, Pharmacy, Nursing, Infectious Diseases, Pathology, Gastroenterology, Acute Medical Care, Quality and Patient Safety. A significant number of attendees were from outside PKLI indicating a genuine interest in the field of ethics within the region.
CBEC Faculty included Dr. Moazam, Dr. Aamir and Dr. Ali Lanewala, who made their way to Lahore to conduct the workshop. They were joined there by Dr. Natasha Anwar, MBE Alumnus Class of 2019, and Dr. Farkhanda Ghafoor, PGD Alumnus Class of 2006, both based in Lahore.
The first day was dedicated to teaching essential concepts in clinical ethics, including issues related to informed consent in Pakistan, as well as privacy and confidentiality. CBEC’s newly released teaching video, “Whose Life is it Anyway?” highlighted the culturally rooted challenges surrounding medical decision-making among incapacitated patients. A dedicated session on gender-related issues in transplantation received high ratings in participant feedback.
The second day featured a panel discussion on Organ Transplantation which included CBEC Faculty and PKLI faculty involved in transplantation. The panel discussed cases and how they would play out in the cultural context of Pakistan. There was also an interesting discussion on the deceased organ donation program and the challenges of implementing it in the country. A session was devoted to highlighting a relevant issue: publication ethics. The final session also covered ethical governance in research and ethical considerations in the emerging field of genomics.
The success of the workshop was evident from the active engagement of participants and the expressions of interest in pursuing formal bioethics education at CBEC. Participants also requested that similar sessions be held quarterly.