The Fund supports networks of state health policy decision makers to help identify, inspire, and inform policy leaders.
A bipartisan group of state health policymakers from both the executive and legislative branches who are focused on improving population health.
Networks of state officials, advocates, and others aiming to invest in and transform primary care.
A program dedicated to advancing state-based efforts to make health care more affordable for residents, employers, and states.
The Milbank Memorial Fund supports two state leadership programs for legislative and executive branch state government officials committed to improving population health.
A leadership development program for early and mid-career state government officials who are committed to improving the health of all people in their communities.
A leadership program for senior state government officials who are committed to improving population health.
The Fund focuses on creating an affordable health care system built on strong primary care and partnerships that improve health outcomes for all.
Improving state leaders’ ability to enact and implement evidence-based health policies.
Advancing policies that create a more prevention- and primary care-oriented health system.
Improving population health through policies that contain health care cost growth.
Our state health policy resources offer relevant data analysis and best practices.
The Fund publishes reports, issues briefs, and case studies on state health policy issues.
Short takes on health policy issues from Milbank staff and guest authors.
Insights from Milbank President Debra Lubar on state health policymaking.
Reported articles and Q&As on timely health policy issues, as well as foundation updates.
Milbank Memorial Fund and Milbank Quarterly webinars featuring state health policymakers and researchers.
Updates and expert contact information for reporters.
The Milbank Memorial Fund is a private foundation that works to improve population health and health equity.
October 21, 2015
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Several Milbank Memorial Fund collaborators gathered for a conference—Vested Interests: Who Really Influences American Medicine, Public Health and Health Policy?—at the University of Michigan on October 1 and 2. The event, which was sponsored by the university’s Center for the History of Medicine and the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation (IHPI), was organized by Howard Markel, Editor-in-Chief of The Milbank Quarterly, and John Ayanian, director of IHPI. Markel is also the George E. Wantz Distinguished Professor of the History of Medicine and director of the Center for the History of Medicine at the University of Michigan.
The conference began with a public keynote talk from Richard Besser, MD, ABC news chief health and medical editor, followed by a question and answer session about the vested interests involved in writing the Affordable Care Act. The panel, which was moderated by Jonathan Cohn, senior national correspondent for the Huffington Post and an op-ed contributor to The Milbank Quarterly, featured Christopher F. Koller, president of the Fund; John McDonough, Harvard School of Public Health; and Nicholas Bagley, University of Michigan School of Law.
On the second day, academic sessions focused on vested interests in the pharmaceutical industry, food production, environmental health, and conflicts of interest in academic medicine. Speakers included Amy Beaudreault, the New York Academy of Sciences, and Philip Nichols, Nestlé Health Science, on food producers/fast food industry; John Abramson, Harvard Medical School, and John LaMattina, PureTech Ventures, on big pharma and biotech; David Rosner, Columbia University and op-ed contributor to the Quarterly, and Martin Philbert, University of Michigan School of Public Health, on environmental health; and Catherine D. DeAngelis, Johns Hopkins University Schools of Medicine and Public Health and op-ed contributor to the Quarterly, and Daniel M. Fox, president emeritus of the Fund, on academic medical centers and conflicts of interest.