This session will focus on the ethics of advocacy in research and policy. Advocacy groups, from patients to shareholders, play an increasingly influential role in shaping which questions are asked, how resources are allocated, and whose voices are heard in addressing matters of public concern. While these organizations can drive innovation and elevate underrepresented concerns, they also raise important ethical questions about funding, conflicts of interest, and equity in decision-making.
Panelists:
Susannah Rose, MSSW, MS, PhD (Vanderbilt University Medical Center), examines critically patient advocacy organizations, their financial ties to industry, and their influence on health policy.
Macarius Donneyong, PhD, MPH (The Ohio State University, College of Pharmacy and College of Public Health), studies patient-clinician relationships and has contributed to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) on priority setting in therapeutic research to maximize public health benefits.
Rebecca Wolitz, JD, PhD (The Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law), explores shareholder advocacy and its role in shaping corporate governance, offering a striking parallel to patient-led advocacy in health research.