RFK Jr. Picked Health Panel Members Who Own Drug Company Stocks

Four of the eight people that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. chose for an important health panel own stock in drug companies. That means they have a financial interest in some of the same companies their panel makes decisions about. The New York Times found this by reviewing special documents called conflict-of-interest waivers. These waivers gave the members permission to serve on the panel even though they had these financial ties.

The panel is called the United States Preventive Services Task Force. It is a group of health experts who study medical evidence and make recommendations about things like cancer screenings, HIV prevention drugs, and depression testing. Doctors use these recommendations to guide their patients' care. Insurance companies also use them to decide what health services they must pay for.

Because the task force has so much influence, its recommendations can affect how popular certain drugs and medical tools become. That can change how much money drug companies make. For example, the task force makes decisions that affect drugs used to prevent heart disease and machines used for mammograms, which are special X-rays that check for breast cancer. This is why experts worry about panel members owning stock in those same companies.

Former task force members and government officials say this is a serious problem. They argue that having a financial stake in drug companies could affect how fairly panel members weigh the scientific evidence. It could also make the public less likely to trust the panel's recommendations. Until recently, people with these kinds of financial conflicts were not allowed to serve on the task force at all.

Things changed after President Trump and Mr. Kennedy took office and after a Supreme Court ruling gave Mr. Kennedy more control over the task force. Before that, the panel worked independently and kept politics out of its decisions. Former members say the old rules were important for making sure the recommendations were based only on science, not on personal financial interests.

The four members who own drug company stocks are Dr. Patrick K. Hunter, a children's doctor who served on the Florida Board of Medicine; Dr. Ronald P. Karlsberg, a heart health expert; Dr. Venkatesh L. Murthy, also a heart health expert; and Dr. Dennis W. Wulfeck, a doctor who specializes in reading medical images. All four own stock in Eli Lilly and Johnson and Johnson, which are two of the largest drug companies in the world. Their financial ties raise questions about whether they can make fully unbiased decisions for the American public.