Mark A. Rothstein

Mark A. Rothstein, J.D. directs the University of Louisville’s Institute for Bioethics, Health Policy and Law and holds joint appointments in the School of Medicine and Brandeis School of Law.

He is considered a leading authority on the ethical, legal and social implications of genetics, privacy, health policy and employment law.

His institute is working on several research projects funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

The studies focus on pharmacogenomics and population groups; genetic information and life-insurance underwriting; ethics education for genetics researchers; biobanks regulation; health privacy in electronic health networks; the effect of paternity testing on children and families; child fatality review laws; toxicogenomics; public health law, including quarantine and isolation, and the use of prisoners for therapeutic research.

Much of the work is designed to help officials devise health policy on significant issues.

Rothstein is chair of the privacy and confidentiality subcommittee of the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics, which advises the Secretary of Health and Human Services on health information policy.

He is also co-chair of the Health Privacy and Security Committee of the Kentucky e-Health Network Board.

He has advised the NIH, CDC, DOE, U.S. Congress, Institute of Medicine, National Conferences of States Legislatures and many other public and professional entities on issues of health policy and bioethics.

He has written or edited 20 books and published more than 190 book chapters and papers.

Before coming to U of L, Rothstein was distinguished professor of law at the University of Houston and directed that university's health law and policy institute.

Since 1975, he has been on the law faculties at five universities.

Rothstein earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh and his doctor of jurisprudence from Georgetown University.